licenses

According to the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, Victory Securities Limited has been reprimanded and fined HKD 1.7 million for violating regulatory requirements, and its responsible personnel's licenses have been temporarily revoked.Previously, Hong Kong Victory Securities announced in February this year that it would close all virtual currency trading functions for users with mainland Chinese identities, retaining only withdrawal permissions and no longer supporting deposits and new transactions. The platform's gradual tightening of services for mainland users includes previous measures such as prohibiting purchases and suspending new address verification, aimed at complying with the regulatory requirements of the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission and relevant policies in the mainland.

The stablecoin payment and issuance infrastructure Bridge officially announced that it has successfully obtained authorization as a crypto asset service provider under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) in Luxembourg, as well as an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license. With this dual license, its compliant business scope will cover all 27 EU member states.It is reported that this move will significantly expand Bridge's stablecoin service capabilities in the European market. Based on the new license, European businesses and developers can now provide their customers with a real-name virtual IBAN and euro accounts that are universally applicable across the EU through a single integrated interface. In addition, businesses will also be able to compliantly issue customized euro stablecoins for use in scenarios such as cross-border fund transfers and efficient low-cost settlements between institutions.

According to Livecoins, the Chilean Financial Market Commission (CMF) announced the cancellation of the registration qualifications of the cryptocurrency platform Plusspay, due to its investigation revealing connections with the Venezuelan criminal organization "Tren de Aragua," which was used to provide financial support to the gang.In addition to Plusspay, several other institutions, including Pixeltec and Iuinvest, that failed to submit complete information on time as required by the Financial Technology Law (Lei Fintec) have also had their qualifications to provide services in the Chilean market revoked. These institutions are prohibited from expanding their customer base and may only conduct operations related to clearing services and returning frozen funds to existing users. Regulators emphasized that payment and cryptocurrency service providers must enhance transparency to prevent money laundering and illegal fund flows.

According to Bits.media citing data from the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), as of June 29, 244 companies in the EU have obtained MiCA crypto licenses, with Germany leading with 57 companies (about 23%), followed by France with 26 companies (about 11%). Greece, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, and Romania have not issued any MiCA licenses, and Poland has yet to establish a licensing system for crypto exchanges, with related legislation having been vetoed by the president three times.Germany, France, and the Netherlands (along with Luxembourg and Ireland) account for about 72% of the EU's financial assets, which is also why MiCA licenses are highly concentrated in these countries. France has recently accelerated its approval process, issuing 5 licenses in the week from June 18 to 22, nearly half of the total 11 issued in the EU during the same period. MiCA requires crypto companies to obtain a license in at least one EU country by July 1 in order to legally serve the markets of the 27 countries; those without a license must cease operations in the EU.

According to Bits.media, Fidan Tofidi, the head of the Financial Technology and Innovation Department of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan, stated that the regulatory bill for the country's virtual asset market has been drafted and submitted for review, with formal legislation expected within the year. The bill requires all companies engaged in cryptocurrency asset business to obtain a license issued by the central bank, and unauthorized operations within the country are prohibited. Licensed institutions will be subject to ongoing supervision. The regulatory framework will cover compliance requirements such as anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing, and customer identity verification (KYC), and will be incorporated into Azerbaijan's financial market development strategy for 2027-2030.

According to the latest social media news from CoinGecko, Gate is competing with platforms like Coinbase and OKX for the increase of EU users. Gate continues to advance its European compliance process, and Gate Group's Malta entity, Gate Europe, has obtained European MiCA and PI licenses under the supervision of the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), strengthening its global compliance framework.In addition, relying on a rich array of trading products, robust platform services, and global operational capabilities, Gate actively meets the growing demand for digital asset trading in the European market. This layout not only enhances Gate's localized service capabilities in the European market but also provides solid support for the platform in terms of user trust, fund security, compliance operations, and long-term market expansion, highlighting its compliance competitive advantage among global crypto trading platforms.

According to lesechos, the MiCA regulation will officially take effect on July 1, 2026. Cryptocurrency service providers that do not obtain this license will be unable to offer new services in the EU. Currently, a total of 230 MiCA licenses have been issued in Europe, with Germany leading with 56 authorizations, followed by the Netherlands with 26, France with 21, Malta with 15, Cyprus with 13, and Ireland with 12.In France, approximately 40% of regulated cryptocurrency service providers had not submitted license applications previously. The increase in compliance requirements has led some smaller traditional cryptocurrency institutions to face the prospect of being acquired or going out of business.

According to Cointelegraph, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) announced an extension of the temporary enforcement exemption period for digital asset businesses applying for an Australian Financial Services (AFS) license until September 30, 2026, extending the previous deadline of June 30 by three months.This extension also broadens the scope of the exemption, including digital asset businesses operating through authorized representatives or arrangements with licensed company intermediaries in the transitional protection period. ASIC stated that since the update of the digital asset regulatory guidelines in October 2025, approximately 30 license applications have been received.It is noteworthy that this extension is independent of Australia's "Digital Asset Framework," which was passed by Parliament in April this year and is scheduled to officially take effect on April 9, 2027. ASIC warned that businesses licensed under the current guidelines may still need to obtain additional authorizations after the new framework is implemented.

According to a report by Reuters, Binance's head for Europe and the UK, Gillian Lynch, stated that despite setbacks in its attempt to apply for a European Union cryptocurrency operating license in Greece, Binance still plans to remain in the EU and will seek to obtain local operating permits again.Lynch said, "Binance will not leave Europe." She mentioned that Binance may just need to obtain authorization through different paths, and if not in Greece, the company will look for other alternatives. Binance currently has only one week left before its existing European operating license expires, and if it cannot obtain a new license, it may need to gradually shut down its EU operations.Two informed sources said that Binance had communicated with regulators in Ireland, Latvia, and Greece, but faced resistance in all three countries. The sources indicated that regulatory officials were concerned about Binance's past penalties related to money laundering issues, its complex international structure, and what they perceive as a risk-seeking culture. Lynch stated that Binance is unclear why it was not approved, as it previously believed that the Greek regulators planned to issue licenses.She also mentioned that Binance has contacted four or five regulatory agencies but only submitted a formal application to Greece. Regarding Binance's past issues, Lynch stated that the company has invested in compliance and internal controls, hiring about 1,500 compliance personnel, and claimed that there are no unresolved issues with its license application.

According to Premium Times, the Nigerian Senate passed a bill on Tuesday aimed at regulating cryptocurrency, protecting investors, and strengthening the digital economy. The bill passed its second reading and has been submitted to the Capital Market Committee for further review, with a report due in four weeks.The bill was introduced by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin and aims to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for virtual assets, digital assets, and virtual asset service providers. It mandates that cryptocurrency exchanges apply for licenses and comply with transparency and regulatory requirements. Chief Whip Tahir Monguno stated during the debate that although Nigeria is one of the countries with the highest cryptocurrency adoption rates in Africa, it has fallen behind several African nations in regulating the digital financial ecosystem. The lack of a clear legal framework exposes investors to risks and allows illegal activities to thrive in the industry.

The tokenized asset platform RootData has released the "Exchange Tokenized Asset Provider and License Map," systematically sorting the paths and regulatory licenses of providers and brokers in mainstream exchanges such as Binance, Gate, Bitget, and Bybit for products like real stocks, TradFi stocks, CFD contracts, and tokenized stocks. The map shows that the current stock-type assets on exchanges have gradually formed a three-tier structure: real stock spot mainly relies on a regulated brokerage system for securities execution and custody; TradFi stocks are primarily based on CFDs/Perps; tokenized stocks are mainly supported by solutions like Ondo and xStocks. Among them, Binance currently accesses Alpaca Securities through Nest Trading to provide real US stock/ETF exposure and has launched Ondo stock tokens in the Alpha zone, with plans to introduce bStocks later; Gate's real stock collaboration is with AIpaca, CFDs adopt the MT5 model, and perpetual contracts are self-operated by the platform; Bybit currently mainly uses the Backed Finance (xStocks) solution; Bitget provides 1:1 US stock/ETF tokenized products through its own Reality (rToken) brand. RootData believes that as the tokenized stock market heats up, competition among exchanges is gradually shifting from merely launching products to underlying broker capabilities, real securities custody, and regulatory license capabilities, with licensed brokers like Alpaca Securities strengthening their infrastructure roles across multiple platform ecosystems.

According to Bloomberg, Senator Elizabeth Warren has questioned the decision by financial regulators to allow cryptocurrency companies into the banking system. The Massachusetts Democrat wrote to Jonathan Gould, head of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), pointing out that the regulator has approved at least 9 national trust charters for crypto companies that "seem to be unqualified." Warren stated that these charters "appear to far exceed the narrow scope of activities permitted by law," constituting a "clear violation of the National Bank Act." She questioned whether the OCC adhered to relevant legal provisions during the approval process and requested clarification on the compliance of these cryptocurrency companies in obtaining banking charters.

Legendary Labs and Jinlian Capital Foundation today announced the official strategic merger. Both parties will integrate resources and technological advantages to jointly promote the globalization of Legendary Space and the upgraded development of the Web3 prediction ecosystem (PredictFi).It is reported that Legendary Space has currently obtained digital lottery and online gaming operation licenses from 7 countries in Central America, including the blockchain online digital lottery license in El Salvador. The project is currently preparing to launch a decentralized prediction game for the World Cup, relying on the underlying technology of the FAB ecosystem. The officials stated that in the future, both parties will continue to explore fields such as AI integration and multi-chain interoperability.

According to the official announcement from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Thailand, the Thai SEC is publicly soliciting opinions on adjusting the licensing rules for futures contracts. The core content allows existing digital asset business operators to directly apply for a futures contract business license without the need to establish a new company, while also formally including digital assets in the category of reference targets for futures contracts.

The Web3 asset data platform RootData has outlined the Web3 business partners of Zero Hash, whose partners cover key areas such as asset management institutions, payment channels, public chain infrastructure, and stablecoin systems, and are building a cooperative network centered on **compliance clearing** and **asset access**. Structurally, Zero Hash is committed to becoming a B-end crypto financial infrastructure provider, offering institutions a one-stop capability of "**fiat currency → crypto assets → multi-chain circulation → stablecoin settlement**": Upstream, it connects asset management and financial platforms such as Morgan Stanley, Franklin Templeton, and Republic; on the funding entry side, it interfaces with payment and fiat channels like Stripe, Ramp, and Transak; at the infrastructure level, it covers multi-chain infrastructures such as Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, Avalanche, and Aptos; at the same time, it connects with stablecoin systems like Circle, Tether, Paxos, as well as PYUSD and RLUSD, completing clearing and settlement support. In addition, Zero Hash, as one of the few infrastructure providers holding money transmission licenses (MTL) in multiple U.S. states and possessing complete regulatory framework adaptation capabilities, has a very clear common characteristic among its partners: funding entry (banks/payments), asset carriers (stablecoins/public chains), or distribution platforms (financial products/applications). Related collection 【[Zero Hash Web3 Partner Network Collection (Continuously Updated)](https://cn.rootdata.com/Archives/detail/zerohash%20Crypto%20Business%20Partner?k=NDc1NzIy)】 Crypto projects actively showcasing their partner networks has become a key way to enhance transparency and market trust. It is reported that RootData welcomes Web3 project parties to [claim data](https://www.rootdata.com/Projects/submit?ft=claimApply) and continues to track and open more project business relationship disclosure channels. The platform has continuously released multiple versions of the crypto project ecosystem map, nominating Web3 ecological partners for upstream clients such as Visa, Mastercard, and Coinbase. **If you wish to nominate your project in future ecosystem maps, please fill out the 【[RootData 2026 Industry Ecosystem Mapping](https://forms.gle/tWArmXcpSfZJkh1r8)】 form to supplement your important clients and partners.**

ChainCatcher live report, Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan delivered the opening speech at the 2026 Hong Kong Web3 Carnival. He pointed out that 2026 is an important turning point, as Web3 is maturing, and financial institutions are increasingly using digital assets and tokenization to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and shorten settlement times. The rise of AI agents is also a milestone, and the intersection of the two will be a "game changer."He emphasized that Hong Kong, as an international financial center, actively embraces innovation and follows the principle of "same activity, same risk, same regulation." Regulatory agencies have a dual mission of prudent regulation and market development. He revealed that Hong Kong has issued two stablecoin issuer licenses this month and has issued over $2 billion in tokenized green and infrastructure bonds. Additionally, an "AI+ and Industry Development Strategy Committee" will be established to promote the integration of Web3 and AI in fields such as finance.

According to Tencent News' "Periscope," the Vice President of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Chen Weimin, stated that the timeline for issuing the second batch of licenses has not yet been determined, as it needs to be "based on the operational situation of the first two companies," and the total number of licenses in the future will be very limited.In addition, sources revealed that Chinese institutions that participated in the application submission have received "window guidance" from relevant departments, requesting them to postpone their participation in the stablecoin license application. However, some Chinese institutions have continued to communicate with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority over the past few months. After excluding Chinese institutions, the vast majority of the proposed applicants have limited capabilities, and there are not many qualified institutions that can fully meet the requirements of the "Stablecoin Regulation."Lee Kuan-hong, the head of HSBC Payme, told reporters that any Payme user can open a stablecoin account. In the stablecoin account, users can directly transfer money to friends and family, transfer to merchants, or invest in products linked to stablecoins. Users in the HSBC app cannot directly open an account; they must wait for HSBC to screen eligible users before applying for a stablecoin account.Payme account opening has required users to be local residents of Hong Kong, while users of the HSBC app also include mainland users. Under the existing management framework in Hong Kong, only local residents can participate in virtual asset trading, and mainland customers, even if they are mobile payment users of HSBC Hong Kong, cannot apply for a stablecoin account.