Bridge has obtained a Crypto-Asset Service Provider authorisation under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) and an Electronic Money Institution licence in Luxembourg.
The dual authorisation allows Bridge to operate across all 27 EU member states under a single regulatory framework. MiCA, which came into force to standardise oversight of crypto-asset activity across the bloc, sets requirements covering capital reserves, custody arrangements, and operational risk management. The Electronic Money Institution licence, granted by Luxembourg's regulator, permits Bridge to issue electronic money and provide related payment services throughout the EU under passporting rules.
With the new licences in place, Bridge has stated it will expand the stablecoin-related services it offers to businesses and end users operating in Europe. Prior to this authorisation, Bridge already provided infrastructure allowing businesses and developers to convert funds between stablecoins and EUR.
The licences are intended to support several capabilities for companies building on Bridge's infrastructure. Fintechs will be able to offer customers named IBANs and euro accounts that function across all 27 member states, allowing cross-border money movement without the need for separate banking relationships in each country. At the same time, businesses will also be able to issue their own EUR-backed stablecoins for use in on/off-ramps, loyalty programmes, or in-app currencies, without independently building the compliance and reserve infrastructure such issuance typically requires.
Additionally, the framework is expected to support enterprises seeking to move funds between subsidiaries using custom stablecoins as an alternative to correspondent banking rails, as well as banks looking to settle transactions between institutions using stablecoin-based rails rather than traditional interbank messaging systems.
Regulatory context
MiCA represents one of the more extensive regulatory regimes globally for crypto-asset service providers, and its EU-wide scope means a licence obtained in one member state, such as Luxembourg, can be used to operate across the entire bloc. This passporting mechanism is a central feature of the regulation and is intended to reduce fragmentation for companies seeking to offer crypto-related and stablecoin services throughout Europe.
Mai Leduc Blount, Head of Product at Bridge, said that the new authorisations would allow a business in the EU to issue its own euro-denominated stablecoin and combine it with named IBANs and EUR payouts across all 27 member states through a single integration. The official added that Bridge has worked with regulators in multiple jurisdictions as part of its approach to stablecoin infrastructure.
The authorisation adds to a growing number of stablecoin and crypto infrastructure providers seeking regulatory clarity under MiCA since its implementation. For businesses operating across multiple EU jurisdictions, a single compliant framework covering both electronic money issuance and crypto-asset services may reduce the operational complexity associated with cross-border euro-denominated payment and settlement activity.
