OSL Group's European subsidiary, OSL EU1, has received CASP authorisation from Austria's FMA under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR).
The approval follows the 1 July 2026 deadline for firms to convert national crypto registrations into full MiCAR authorisation, a transition that has significantly narrowed the number of licensed operators in the region.
According to the company, more than 1.200 crypto firms held national registrations across the EU prior to the deadline, but only around 210 (roughly 17%) converted to full CASP authorisation in time. Firms that did not complete the process have either withdrawn from the EU market or lost the legal basis to serve clients there. MiCAR replaces the previous patchwork of 27 national regimes with a single harmonised framework, meaning a CASP authorisation obtained in one member state can be used to offer services across the entire bloc.
Under the FMA authorisation, OSL EU1 is permitted to provide custody and administration of crypto-assets, spot trading, fiat on- and off-ramp and conversion services, and crypto-asset transfers to institutional and eligible clients across the EEA. In addition, the authorisation adds to a MiCAR licence already held in the Netherlands by another OSL Group subsidiary, EU Internet Ventures B.V.
The legal entity behind OSL EU1 is currently registered as CIGE vierte PGG GmbH, and the company said a renaming process to OSL EU GmbH is underway.
OSL Group's regulatory history begins in Hong Kong, where its subsidiary, OSL Digital Securities Limited, was among the first virtual-asset platforms licensed by the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC). The Austrian authorisation extends that licensed model into Europe, giving the group standing under both the Hong Kong and EU crypto-asset frameworks.
The company said it holds or is pursuing more than 50 trading and payment licences globally, with regulatory presence spanning Asia, Australia, the US, and Canada, alongside its Hong Kong and EU authorisations. Kevin Cui, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of OSL Group, said the Austrian authorisation builds on the company's Hong Kong foundation and its recent Australian licence, describing it as part of a longer-term approach to regulated infrastructure.
Market implications
With MiCAR authorisation in place, OSL Group can pursue European banking relationships, access local payment infrastructure, and engage institutional counterparties that require dealings with fully licensed entities. As the post-MiCAR European crypto market consolidates around authorised platforms, the Austrian authorisation positions OSL Group among a comparatively small group of firms able to operate across the EEA under a single licence, at a point when many previously registered competitors have exited the region.
