Europe’s crypto rulebook just got a little more crowded: the EU securities regulator added nine new licensed crypto firms to its official MiCA register on Friday — including exchange BingX, lending platform YouHodler, and a bank owned by Santander — bringing the total to 375 approved providers across the bloc.
By Ana Gonzalez | October 19, 2026
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published the update to its Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) register, the official list of crypto-asset service providers, known as CASPs, that are licensed to operate in the European Union. For everyday crypto users in Europe, this register is the single most important safety check they can run: if a platform is not on it, it is not operating under the bloc’s full consumer protection framework.
The Hook: 375 Licenses and Counting
According to Cointelegraph’s review of the Friday update, the nine new additions span six countries and include some familiar names. Crypto exchange BingX made it onto the register through its Austrian entity, MEGE zweite. Crypto lending platform YouHodler joined via its Italian subsidiary, with authorization covering custody, crypto exchanges, order execution and transfers — essentially the full menu of services a retail user might need.
Both companies had announced their authorizations the previous week. BingX EU CEO Daniel Lai said the approval would allow the company to operate under a clear regulatory framework as it prepares to launch regulated services across the European Economic Area.
- 375 — total unique licensed crypto-asset service providers now on ESMA’s MiCA register
- Nine — new CASPs added in Friday’s update
- 178 — entries on the register of non-compliant providers, up by five
The Evidence: A Bank, Cooperative Lenders and a Savings App
The most striking additions came from Germany. Openbank Deutschland, a subsidiary of Spanish banking giant Banco Santander, is now on the MiCA register — a signal that traditional banks are not just watching the crypto market from the sidelines but applying for the same licenses as crypto-native firms. Germany also added two cooperative lenders, VR-Bank Alb-Blau-Donau and VR Bank im südlichen Franken.
Spain contributed Prakma Markets, associated with the Goin crypto app, which runs a savings and investment platform. In plain terms: the new register entries range from a global bank to a savings app, showing how wide the licensed crypto spectrum in Europe has become.
The Odd Part: A Firm That Vanished From the List
The update also contained a small mystery. Denmark’s Penning Financial Services is no longer listed, despite appearing in register updates dating back to July 3. A spokesperson for Penning told Cointelegraph that its MiCA authorization remains unchanged and that the company had received no communication from Denmark’s financial regulator about any changes. Cointelegraph said it contacted ESMA and the Danish Financial Supervisory Authority for clarification but had not received a response at the time of publication.
Meanwhile, the rest of the register told a story of stability. The e-money token register, which covers entities issuing stablecoin-like tokens, was unchanged at 50 entries representing 25 unique entities. The asset-referenced token register, for tokens backed by baskets of assets, remains empty.
Market Implications: The Two-Speed Crypto Market in Europe
Two registers moving in opposite directions is the real story here. The compliant list grew to 375 unique providers. The register of non-compliant crypto-asset service providers — firms flagged for operating outside the rules — increased by five entries to 178. Europe is effectively sorting the entire crypto industry into two piles: firms that jumped through the licensing hoops and firms that did not.
For regular investors, the practical takeaway is a one-minute habit: before depositing money anywhere, search the firm’s name in ESMA’s MiCA register. A licensed CASP has met capital requirements, passed governance checks and operates under complaint procedures. An unlicensed one offers none of that, and with 178 entries on the non-compliant register, there are plenty of those still around.
The Verdict: Slow Bureaucracy, Real Protection
MiCA licensing is not exciting, and it will not move the price of Bitcoin today. But it quietly changes what safe crypto usage looks like in Europe. When Santander’s banking subsidiary sits on the same register as crypto exchanges, the line between traditional finance and crypto finance keeps blurring — and consumers get recourse either way. The Penning mystery aside, the direction of travel is clear: Europe’s licensed crypto market is getting bigger, broader and more boringly institutional every quarter. For anyone holding crypto on a platform, boring and licensed is exactly what you want.
The cryptocurrency market remains highly volatile. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
openbank deutschland, a santander subsidiary, on the same register as crypto native exchanges. banks stopped watching from the sidelines real quick
two VR cooperative banks from germany joined in the same update. when local lenders want casp licenses the sideshow era is officially over
^ and 178 entries on the non compliant list, up five. two speed market is right
bingx passporting via an austrian entity, youhodler through its italian arm. license small, launch across the whole EEA, smart playbook
youhodler getting a license through italy while half the crypto natives are still complaining about paperwork. adapt or become an entry on the non compliant list i guess
375 licensed firms now with santander finally in. took them long enough, that miCA paperwork is brutal
bingx on the register is wild after their 2024 hack. the bar lower than i expected tbh
the register was never a quality badge, its a paperwork badge. 178 non compliant entries, up five, says plenty
agreed with bruno, 178 non compliant entries climbing is the actual story here. the register is only as good as the enforcement behind it
Every passporting benefit people predicted is slowly materializing. Good news for europeans tired of offshore casinos
the santander entry matters more than people realize. once one tier one bank offers custody the rest follow within a year, none of them want to concede the fee income