Crypto exchange WhiteBIT has obtained authorization from Austria’s Financial Market Authority (FMA) under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). The approval allows the company to offer regulated crypto services across the entire European Economic Area (EEA) through a single license – just days before the EU-wide transition period ends on July 1.

The authorization was granted to WB-Shield Innovations GmbH, which operates as WhiteBIT EU. Under MiCA, crypto companies authorized in one EU member state can passport their services across the EEA without having to apply for a separate license in each individual country. According to WhiteBIT, the authorization is intended to support the launch of a dedicated European platform at the address whitebit.eu.

About the company

WhiteBIT was founded in 2018 and is part of W Group, which says it serves more than 35 million customers worldwide. The exchange maintains partnerships with Visa, the esports platform FACEIT, FC Barcelona, Juventus Turin and Ukraine’s national football team. By trading volume, WhiteBIT ranks among the world’s 55 largest crypto exchanges, making it a comparatively small player.

Volodymyr Nosov, founder and president of W Group, described the authorization as confirmation of the company’s European focus. WhiteBIT was originally founded as a European exchange, and Europe remains a central part of its long-term strategy, Nosov said. MiCA, he added, sets a global benchmark for the regulation of digital assets.

MiCA establishes a harmonized EU framework for crypto service providers, with requirements covering governance, transparency, client protection and market integrity, among others. WhiteBIT EU notes that, with the Austrian authorization, it has completed a comprehensive regulatory assessment in a jurisdiction with well-established supervisory standards.

Launch of whitebit.eu

As part of its transition to the MiCA framework, WhiteBIT is preparing to launch the whitebit.eu platform, which is aimed specifically at users in the EEA. It is intended to serve as a regulated hub for the European market and to provide compliant access to the company’s products and services. According to the company, interested users can already register their interest via a form on the website. WhiteBIT notes that its EEA services exclude Malta.

Austria did not extend its grandfathering provisions for crypto service providers beyond December 31, 2025, making it one of the first EU states to fully transition to the MiCA framework. According to earlier statements by the FMA to the industry outlet Cointelegraph, the regulator has so far authorized nine crypto service providers under MiCA and described application volume as “significant.” Including WhiteBIT, now 10 companies got their MiCA License from the Austrian FMA.

Expiring deadline increases pressure on the industry

WhiteBIT’s authorization comes shortly before the MiCA transition period expires on July 1. After that date, crypto companies that have until now operated under legacy national registrations must either hold a MiCA license or cease serving clients in the EU.

The approaching deadline has drawn attention to exchanges that have not yet secured authorization. Reuters reported earlier this week that Greece’s market regulator was preparing to reject Binance’s MiCA application. The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has stated that companies that remain unauthorized after July 1 should implement orderly wind-down and client migration plans rather than continue operating while their applications are still under review.

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