Kraken, a crypto exchange, has entered the European market by securing a regulatory license from the European Union’s Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) regulatory framework. The Central Bank of Ireland issued the MiCA license, which grants Kraken access to 27 EU member states. Kraken commented on the development by saying that the exchange was committed to delivering responsible innovation, alluding to the fact that regulatory standards are often difficult to balance alongside cutting-edge technological advancements.
Crypto businesses often struggle with the strict requirements of the MiCA framework. Kraken has accomplished something that could have long-term benefits for the exchange. Kraken, meanwhile, considers the milestone a considerable feat, citing the Central Bank of Ireland as a credible source for making such a decision. Kraken now wants to focus its efforts on building European services for institutional and retail clients.
Kraken announced its MiCA registration on its company website, labelling the news as a significant milestone in its European expansion. The announcement mentioned that this was the first time the Central Bank of Ireland approved a major crypto exchange. The MiCAR registration grants Kraken access to 30 European Economic Area member states, including the 27 member states of the EU. Kraken already has Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) licenses with various EU states. The exchange can add these extra provisions to its new MiCAR permissions. Kraken is a suitable exchange for the European market because it was the first exchange to mediate BTC-EUR trading pairs in 2013. The MiCAR registration will provide added protections for crypto consumers, which may contribute to accelerating crypto adoption.
The MiCAR license is just another registration for Kraken, adding to previous permits obtained by the exchange. Kraken obtained an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license in March 2025. Kraken further obtained a Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) in February 2025. From a trader’s perspective, these licenses may indicate the underlying value of the crypto exchange, due to the opportunities that are opened when one of these milestones is reached. These licenses allow Kraken to operate exchange services such as spot trading, futures, custodial services, business payments, and derivatives. The European Union certainly benefits from these services, including the business community that could utilize them to extend their reach across vast distances. Kraken could become the most trusted network in Europe due to its consistent service and regulatory approval.
Kraken described the Central Bank of Ireland as having the gold standard of crypto regulations. The exchange prides itself on the fact that Irish officials approved it because they are now established with a fundamental regulation framework that they can use to apply for other approvals. Kraken commented that their new license shows they are committed to longer-term goals in the crypto industry. Kraken stated that the most valuable asset in the crypto industry is trust. They argued that the gold standard of value is developing trust with customers. This includes providing a secure and accessible exchange to millions of customers. Kraken can give a more consistent service when it tries to tick all the boxes set out by the Irish Central Bank.
Crypto partnerships have been a key driver of Kraken’s strategy. The crypto exchange has made acquisitions, such as with Ninja trader, a futures market, which Kraken bought. The exchange has also provided trading pairs for BTC and EUR tokens, providing a platform for EU businesses to use the EUR stablecoin for trade. Kraken has also partnered with MasterCard to allow EU and UK customers to make payments with crypto. Kraken has further taken an interest in creating education programs and promoting local talent so as to embed its services in the EU region.
