Crypto exchange Bitget is making a big push into Europe, and it’s starting with a major leadership move.
The company has appointed Oliver Stauber, former chief legal officer at Bitpanda and former KuCoin EU head, as CEO of Bitget EU.
His mission? To steer Bitget’s expansion under the Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) framework and establish the exchange’s new European headquarters in Vienna.
MiCA License Application and Regulatory Compliance
Bitget EU applied for its MiCA license in Austria back in 2025 and expects approval by the second quarter of 2026.
Until then, the platform will not offer services to European Economic Area (EEA) residents.
Stauber explained that the company will keep EEA users separate from Bitget’s offshore platform using IP address detection and stronger Know Your Customer (KYC) measures.
This approach ensures that unlicensed entities cannot onboard European residents through workarounds like reverse solicitation or marketing loopholes.
Gracy Chen, Bitget’s global CEO, emphasized that Stauber’s appointment reinforces the company’s long-term commitment to Europe.
She highlighted his “regulatory fluency and operational discipline” as key to successfully launching Bitget’s EU hub in Austria.
Token Listings and Product Audits
Bitget EU will maintain strict token listing standards.
Only assets that meet MiCA’s whitepaper, liquidity, and disclosure requirements will be offered to users in the EEA.
Stauber stated that the company is currently conducting a comprehensive audit of its token inventory.
Products that fail to meet EU standards for market integrity or consumer transparency will simply not be available to European users.
Broker Model and Market Integrity Measures
Rather than operating as a traditional exchange, Bitget EU will function as a broker, acting as the counterparty to client trades.
The platform will source liquidity from multiple independent providers while following best-execution principles.
Stauber added that although the Bitget EU website will resemble the existing platform in design, its legal structure will be distinct.
This structure is designed to reduce market risk for EU clients and comply with MiCA, European Securities and Markets Authority expectations, and national conduct rules.
Additionally, Bitget EU plans to implement advanced market surveillance tools to detect and prevent market abuse or manipulative trading practices.
Vienna Chosen as Strategic EU Hub
Vienna was selected for its central European location, diverse multilingual talent pool, and stable regulatory environment.
Stauber described the city as ideal for hosting a governance and compliance hub for EEA operations.
Current EEA users on Bitget’s global platform will be invited to transition to the EU-compliant entity once regulatory approval is in place, ensuring they have access to services fully aligned with European standards.
Looking Ahead
With Stauber at the helm and a strong regulatory focus, Bitget’s European expansion appears well-structured and strategically planned.
The Vienna hub will serve as the cornerstone of its long-term EU presence, promising a platform that balances growth with compliance and market integrity.
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