Ripple Targets EU Growth With MiCA License Bid Amid Luxembourg Expansion

Ripple Targets EU Growth With MiCA License Bid Amid Luxembourg Expansion

Firm Looks to Leverage Europe’s Regulatory Framework as Stablecoin Ambitions Grow

Ripple is preparing for a major European expansion. The crypto payments firm has confirmed its intention to apply for a Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) license, positioning itself to operate more broadly across the European Economic Area (EEA).

In a message to Cointelegraph, a Ripple spokesperson said the company aims “to become MiCA-compliant,” citing “significant opportunity in the European market”.

This comes shortly after Ripple’s registration of Ripple Payments Europe S.A. in Luxembourg in April—one of the first key steps toward securing necessary permissions under the EU’s new regulatory regime.

License Race Heats Up in Luxembourg

Ripple’s regulatory ambitions in Luxembourg, which has become a strategic hub for MiCA compliance, are consistent with broader crypto industry trends. While Ripple declined to confirm reports that it has already applied for an Electronic Money Institution license, industry sources including Ledger Insights suggest the process may be underway.

Several major crypto firms have already secured MiCA licenses from Luxembourg’s Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF):

• Coinbase was granted a MiCA license in June, declaring Luxembourg its official EU headquarters.

• Bitstamp received its crypto asset service provider license in May.

• Clearstream Banking, a key player in the European Central Bank’s digital euro trials, also holds MiCA credentials.

Even Standard Chartered, one of the world’s largest banks, entered Europe’s crypto sector via a digital asset license in Luxembourg in January.

Not All Green Lights: AML Concerns Persist

Despite the uptick in registrations, Luxembourg has maintained a cautious stance on the sector’s risks. In May, local regulators designated virtual asset service providers (VASPs) as “high-risk” for money laundering, following a national risk assessment.

This underscores the dual nature of the current EU crypto environment—welcoming for regulated growth, yet tough on compliance.

Ripple’s Global Push Continues

Ripple’s European move follows a similar regulatory initiative in the United States, where the firm has reportedly applied for a banking license, part of a broader wave of crypto companies pursuing regulatory legitimacy.

The company’s stablecoin RLUSD, which recently reached a $500 million market cap, has already launched on Transak, signaling Ripple’s ambitions in both traditional finance and crypto-native markets.