Bybit Secures Austrian E-Money License, Expanding European Payment Services
The cryptocurrency exchange's Austrian payments subsidiary has received regulatory approval to develop and launch payment and e-money services across the European Economic Area.
Bybit Achieves Major European Regulatory Milestone
Bybit has reached a significant checkpoint in its European expansion. The exchange’s Austrian payments subsidiary, Bybit Payments GmbH, has obtained an electronic money institution license from Austria’s Financial Market Authority. According to Bybit, this authorization enables the platform to develop and launch a comprehensive range of payment and financial services intended for users across the European region.
Expanding Payment Capabilities
The newly secured license provides Bybit with the regulatory foundation to create several payment-related offerings. These include infrastructure for person-to-person transactions, solutions enabling merchants to accept payments, integration with open banking ecosystems, and branded card products. All of these services will be accessible through Bybit.eu, the exchange’s dedicated European platform.
This regulatory approval builds upon Bybit’s existing European presence. Since May 2025, a separate Austrian entity—Bybit EU GmbH—has held authorization under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). The two entities maintain separate regulatory permissions and operate distinct business lines. Bybit EU GmbH focuses on crypto-specific services including custody, exchange operations, placement, and transfer capabilities, while Bybit Payments GmbH will manage electronic money and regulated payment products as they are introduced.
Geographic Scope and Regulatory Structure
Services through both entities are available across the European Economic Area, though with one exception: Malta. Bybit indicated that service availability depends on each jurisdiction meeting specific MiCA passporting requirements—the regulatory mechanism allowing licensed entities to operate across EU member states. The exchange has not publicly disclosed the reasoning behind Malta’s exclusion from its service area.
The dual-license structure allows Bybit to compartmentalize its regulatory obligations while building a more comprehensive financial services offering. By integrating traditional payment services alongside its crypto platform, the exchange aims to reduce reliance on external payment processors and strengthen relationships with banks, payment networks, and enterprise clients who require regulated financial services.
Industry Implications
Bybit’s achievement underscores the maturation of Europe’s regulatory approach to cryptocurrency platforms. The ability for exchanges to obtain layered regulatory licenses—one for crypto services and another for traditional payments—demonstrates that regulators are creating pathways for digital asset companies to operate within established financial frameworks. This development may encourage other platforms to pursue similar regulatory integration in Europe.
For Bybit specifically, the new license addresses a longstanding challenge in the exchange industry: dependence on third-party payment infrastructure that can be unreliable or restrictive. By becoming its own regulated payment institution, Bybit gains greater control over the user experience and operational continuity in a critical region. As the cryptocurrency industry continues its march toward mainstream adoption, regulatory milestones like this demonstrate the sector’s capacity to thrive within established financial frameworks.
Source: Bybit and Austria’s Financial Market Authority, via Cointelegraph. Not financial advice.