Bybit Wins Austrian EMI Licence for EU Payments Push

Crypto exchange Bybit has moved a step closer to becoming a broader financial services provider in Europe after its subsidiary Bybit Payments GmbH was granted an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) licence by Austria’s Financial Market Authority. The approval allows the entity to offer e-money and payment services alongside the crypto-asset services already run under the exchange’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) authorisation.

Bybit has deliberately split its European operations across two regulated businesses. Crypto services remain with Bybit EU GmbH, which received MiCA authorisation in May 2025. Payment and e-money services will be handled by Bybit Payments GmbH under the new EMI licence. MiCA covers digital-asset activities such as custody, crypto-to-fiat exchange and crypto transfers, while the EMI licence covers traditional payment activities including issuing electronic money, processing payments and supporting regulated payment infrastructure.

According to Bybit, the EMI licence provides a regulatory basis for future services such as electronic money accounts, person-to-person payments, merchant payment solutions, Strong Customer Authentication, open banking functionality and payment cards. These services remain subject to future product launches and regulatory requirements. Bybit said customers will continue to access both sets of services through its Bybit.eu platform.

Georg Harer, Managing Director of both Bybit EU GmbH and Bybit Payments GmbH, said Europe is setting a global benchmark for how digital assets and financial services can evolve together under clear regulation. He described the EMI licence as an important milestone in Bybit’s long-term commitment to Europe, complementing the MiCA authorisation held by Bybit EU GmbH.

Bernhard Krick, Managing Director of Bybit Payments GmbH, said the licence enables the company to build regulated payment capabilities that complement the crypto-asset services offered by Bybit EU GmbH. He stressed that maintaining a clear distinction between the two regulated entities is fundamental, with each operating within its own permissions.

The announcement reflects a broader shift in the cryptocurrency industry, as exchanges increasingly compete not just on trading fees, token listings and liquidity, but on becoming comprehensive financial platforms. For crypto firms in Europe, achieving that goal increasingly depends on obtaining multiple regulatory authorisations across payments, banking and investments.

Bybit said launch dates for new payment products and the wider European rollout will be announced separately. The licence marks another step in the industry’s transition from standalone crypto exchanges toward regulated financial institutions combining digital assets with everyday payment services.