Germany Extends Lead in EU Crypto Licensing With Six New Bank Additions

Germany has pulled further ahead of other European Union countries in crypto licensing, after regulators added six more banks to the bloc’s official register this week.

ESMA Register Reaches 331 Licensed Firms

The European Securities and Markets Authority updated its Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation register on Friday, bringing the total number of authorized crypto asset service providers across the EU to 331. The six new entries were all German cooperative banks: Raiffeisenbank Aidlingen, Ihre Volksbank, VR-Bank Mittelfranken Mitte, Volksbank Euskirchen, VR Bank Ried-Überwald and Volksbank Backnang.

Germany Pulls Further Ahead of France and the Netherlands

With these additions, Germany now has 79 licensed crypto firms, well ahead of France’s 35 and the Netherlands’ 29. Germany’s count has grown steadily, rising from 57 licenses in late June to its current total, keeping its position as the EU’s top country for crypto authorizations.

Why Germany Leads on MiCA Licensing

Germany’s financial regulator, BaFin, has said the country’s large financial sector and high number of eligible credit institutions explain much of the gap. BaFin also pointed to Germany’s existing national licensing framework, which allowed some firms to move through a simplified approval process during the shift to MiCA rules.

Other parts of the register stayed unchanged, with the asset-referenced token list still empty, 43 electronic money token entries, and 167 firms listed as non compliant.