Bitget EU files MiCAR application with Austria’s FMA

Bitget EU has submitted an application for authorisation as a crypto-asset service provider under MiCAR to Austria’s Financial Market Authority, the exchange said in a June 17 update.

Summary

• Bitget EU says its MiCAR application is now under review by Austria’s financial regulator.
• Existing Bitget Global users will remain governed by current platform terms and legal arrangements online.
• The update follows Bitget’s Vienna push as EU crypto licensing deadlines approach quickly this month.

In an official announcement, the company said the application is under regulatory review. Bitget also told users that existing access to Bitget Global products and services remains governed by current contractual and legal arrangements posted online.

Bitget EU MiCAR application enters review

Bitget EU said it filed the application under Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 on Markets in Crypto-Assets, known as MiCAR. Austria’s FMA is the national authority reviewing the application.

The exchange said that, if the authorisation is granted and all regulatory steps are complete, Bitget EU intends to provide crypto-asset services in the European Union within the scope of the approval. It also said the “timing, scope and outcome” remain subject to the FMA’s assessment.

Bitget CEO Gracy Chen later shared the update on X, saying Bitget EU had submitted its MiCAR application and that the process was under regulatory review.

Bitget also said the statement should not be read as approval, endorsement, or confirmation from the FMA or any other authority. That leaves the application as an active filing, not a license.

Existing Bitget Global access unchanged

Bitget’s update focused partly on current users. The exchange said existing Bitget Global customers remain subject to the current terms, legal arrangements, and online disclosures that govern access to products and services.

It also said user funds remain safe and that users can verify assets through Bitget’s proof-of-reserves page. Access to assets remains subject to platform terms and conditions.

The company added that the statement does not offer, promote, or solicit crypto-asset services in any jurisdiction where prior authorisation is required or where services are restricted.

MiCAR rules require crypto-asset service providers to seek approval before offering covered services under the EU framework. The Austrian FMA says applicants must submit CASP authorisation requests under Article 62 of MiCAR.

Vienna strategy remains central

As previously reported by crypto.news, Bitget named former KuCoin EU and Bitpanda executive Oliver Stauber as CEO of Bitget EU in January. The company also said Vienna would serve as its MiCA-ready European headquarters.

That move placed Austria at the center of Bitget’s European plan. The earlier report said the Vienna office would support compliance, governance, and supervisory engagement across the European Economic Area.

Bitget’s latest update shows that plan has reached the formal review stage. It does not confirm approval, but it gives users a clearer view of where the company stands with Austria’s regulator.

The application also lands as Europe’s crypto licensing rules move into a stricter phase. Firms without the right authorisations may face limits on how they serve EU clients once transitional windows close.

MiCAR race shapes exchange strategy

The wider market is also moving around MiCAR. Earlier today, crypto.news reported that BitGo launched MiCA-compliant infrastructure for European crypto firms facing licensing pressure.

BitGo said its service allows firms to use regulated custody and wallet infrastructure while they continue working toward their own authorisation. The move shows how service providers are adjusting to the EU rulebook.

Bitget has also kept expanding regulated and tokenized products. As crypto.news reported earlier, the exchange launched Reality, a platform offering tokenized U.S. stocks and ETFs backed 1:1 through regulated brokers.