OSL clears MiCAR as 83% of EU crypto firms fail to qualify

OSL Group’s European subsidiary has been authorized as a Crypto-Asset Service Provider by Austria’s Financial Market Authority, letting it passport regulated crypto services across all 30 EEA countries, a license only about 210 of more than 1,200 previously registered EU crypto firms secured before the July 1 deadline.

The MiCAR CASP authorization comes as the EU completes its transition to the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR), leaving only a fraction of previously registered crypto firms eligible to continue serving clients in the bloc.

According to OSL Group, more than 1,200 crypto companies previously operated under national registrations across the EU. However, by the July 1, 2026 deadline, only about 210 firms—roughly 17%—had successfully obtained full MiCAR CASP authorization, underscoring the high compliance standards required under the new regime.

MiCAR CASP authorization reshapes Europe’s crypto landscape

The MiCAR CASP authorization marks a significant milestone in Europe’s evolving digital asset regulatory environment. Under MiCAR, firms can no longer rely on fragmented national registrations. Instead, a single authorization enables licensed companies to provide crypto services throughout the EEA under a harmonized regulatory framework.

OSL said the approval positions it among a limited number of firms that have satisfied both the EU’s MiCAR requirements and Hong Kong’s virtual asset licensing regime, widely regarded as one of the strictest in Asia.

“MiCAR is the most demanding test the global crypto industry has faced, and the results are now on the record: fewer than one in five previously registered firms successfully transitioned to full CASP authorization, and some of the largest names in the industry are not on the list,” said Chagri Poyraz, Chief Strategy Officer, OSL Group.

He added: “Clearing it is not a marketing line. It is evidence that a firm’s governance, controls and compliance actually hold up under a regulator’s scrutiny, rather than a promise that they would.”

Poyraz said the approval reflects OSL’s long-term focus on governance and regulatory compliance, describing the authorization as a meaningful signal for institutional clients evaluating digital asset service providers.

MiCAR CASP authorization expands OSL’s European operations

With the MiCAR CASP authorization, OSL EU can now offer a broad suite of regulated crypto services across the EEA, including custody and administration of crypto-assets, spot trading, crypto transfers, and on-ramp and off-ramp conversion services.

The company said operating under a single European regulatory framework is expected to strengthen banking relationships, improve access to local payment infrastructure, and increase confidence among institutional counterparties seeking fully regulated partners.

OSL noted that the authorization complements its existing regulatory footprint across Asia, Australia, North America, and other international markets. The company also revealed that it currently holds or is pursuing more than 50 trading and payment licences globally.

Kevin Cui, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of OSL Group, described the MiCAR CASP authorization as another step in the company’s long-term regulatory strategy.

“Europe set the global benchmark for digital-asset regulation, and most of the market did not make it through,” — Kevin Cui, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, OSL Group.

He added: “Building on our Hong Kong foundation, our recent Australian licence, and our authorizations across Asia and the Americas, this is what long-term, institution-grade infrastructure looks like.”

According to Cui, as the crypto industry increasingly consolidates around licensed platforms, regulatory credibility will become a defining competitive advantage.

MiCAR CASP authorization reinforces compliance-first strategy

Industry observers have closely monitored the implementation of MiCAR because it represents the world’s first comprehensive regulatory framework for crypto-assets across multiple countries. Regulators have made clear that firms unable to secure MiCAR CASP authorization by the July deadline would lose the legal basis to continue serving EU customers.

OSL believes its successful transition demonstrates the strength of its compliance framework and positions the company for long-term institutional growth.

Marie Winter, Managing Director of OSL EU, said obtaining MiCAR CASP authorization required more than satisfying administrative requirements.

“Securing MiCAR authorization from the Austrian FMA is not a formality. It requires genuine institutional-grade governance, compliance infrastructure and operational controls,” — Marie Winter, Managing Director, OSL EU.

She said the authorization confirms that OSL’s operational framework meets the standards established by European regulators while allowing the company to provide services consistently across the region from the outset.

The approval also complements an existing MiCAR licence held in the Netherlands by another OSL Group subsidiary, strengthening the firm’s regulatory resilience throughout Europe.

As the European crypto market enters a new phase defined by stricter oversight, MiCAR CASP authorization is expected to become an increasingly important benchmark for institutional trust and market access. For OSL Group, the latest approval reinforces its strategy of expanding through regulated infrastructure while supporting stablecoin trading, institutional payments and cross-border digital asset services across global markets.

Primary source: GlobeNewswire press release issued by OSL Group (July 9, 2026).