Bit2Me pivots to bank-grade crypto infrastructure after MiCA approval
Bit2Me’s strategic reorientation
Bit2Me used its EU MiCA clearance as a strategic inflection point, moving beyond a consumer-facing exchange to package its custody, trading and settlement stack as a reusable API for banks and institutional clients. Management reports the platform processed approximately €5.3bn of trading volume in 2025, a trajectory the company ties directly to increasing B2B demand and a deliberate retreat from mass-market product features. The newly marketed API and white‑label capabilities enable banks to outsource core crypto plumbing — custody, execution and settlement — without building internal platforms.
That product pivot materially changed the company’s revenue mix: institutional sales rose to account for a larger share of take (management cites a move to ~27% B2B revenue share), and originations of crypto‑backed lending surged, signaling product‑market fit for regulated counterparties. Executives say obtaining the MiCA license consumed roughly 3,000 hours and a multi‑million euro compliance budget (management figures indicate about €2.5m), which created a short period of negative operating profitability as controls and governance were built out. The firm frames that short‑term cost as an investment to access regulated counterparties and to offer a certified, auditable service to banks and public agencies.
Beyond commercial contracts, Bit2Me has been engaged by law‑enforcement bodies to convert seized digital assets, using third‑party analytics to create auditable liquidation pipelines; it reports handling modest volumes of confiscated crypto in 2025. Iberian expansion activity is under way, with rollouts planned into larger European banking markets once local partner and regulatory approvals are secured. Management says future geographic entries — including the U.S. and parts of the Gulf — would follow the same compliance‑first blueprint rather than a rapid product‑led consumer push.
Industry context shows this strategic choice sits alongside alternative paths taken by peers. Some exchanges are doubling down on broad retail and payments products while layering bank rails and debit‑card flows, whereas others are reorganizing into segregated EU entities and broker models to meet local listing and disclosure rules. The divergence highlights that MiCA has broadened strategic options: firms that invested early in governance can sell regulatory trust as a product, while others emphasize scale in retail on‑ramps or conservative token lineups. The resulting market will likely include a mix of specialist infrastructure vendors, bank‑facing platforms and retail‑oriented incumbents, each with different risk and operational profiles.
Read Our Expert Analysis
Create an account or login for free to unlock our expert analysis and key takeaways for this development.
By continuing, you agree to receive marketing communications and our weekly newsletter. You can opt-out at any time.
Recommended for you
Mid‑market Crypto Firms Face M&A Pressure as Banks Prepare to Enter
Major banks preparing to offer crypto-linked services are increasing acquisition pressure on mid-sized digital-asset firms, shrinking standalone growth options. Rising yield alternatives tied to stablecoins and tokenization themes are reshaping exit pathways and investor returns in the sector.
Crypto infrastructure and tokenized assets buck a $1T market rout
A broad crypto market contraction erased roughly $1 trillion in value over the past month, yet infrastructure-focused companies and tokenized real‑world assets drew fresh institutional capital. Notable moves included a $107M acquisition financed in part with ~363.6M shares and a $650M venture fund close, while tokenized RWAs climbed about 13.5% and concentrated on a handful of settlement rails.
Bitget Names Ex-Bitpanda Legal Chief to Lead EU Rollout, Builds Vienna Hub for MiCA Era
Bitget has recruited Oliver Stauber, formerly Bitpanda's chief legal officer, to run a new EU entity and steer its entry under MiCA rules, establishing a Vienna headquarters. The unit applied for an Austrian MiCA license in 2025 and intends not to serve EEA customers until official authorization expected in Q2 2026.
Crypto.com wins conditional OCC approval for national trust bank charter
Crypto.com received conditional approval from the OCC to pursue a federal national trust bank charter, clearing the way to offer digital asset custody and staking under federal supervision. The decision comes amid a broader rush of filings and conditional letters — including Bridge’s recent conditional sign‑off and Nomura’s Laser Digital filing — and growing industry pushback from groups such as the American Bankers Association.
Crypto Investors Reallocate Capital to Infrastructure as Liquidity Worries Mount
A survey of 242 senior crypto participants at CfC St. Moritz finds 85% prioritizing core infrastructure over speculative DeFi, citing shallow order books and settlement limits as the main barriers to large institutional flows. That sentiment aligns with early-2026 deal activity — roughly $1.4 billion in committed capital into custody, stablecoins and on-chain credit — underscoring a shift toward compliance-first plumbing and tokenization pilots.
Bybit Moves Into Retail Banking with 'My Bank' Accounts, Betting on Fiat On‑Ramp Growth
Crypto exchange Bybit announced a retail banking product that will issue personal IBAN accounts and support USD transfers at launch, with a planned rollout beginning in February. The service relies on partners including Qatar National Bank and regional lenders and will require KYC and regulatory clearances before full operation.
LCX pivots to regulated infrastructure with Liberty Chain for institutional tokenization
LCX has announced Liberty Chain, a Layer‑2 network built on the OP Stack intended to host tokenized real‑world assets with embedded compliance controls for institutional issuers. The firm leans on its regulatory experience — reporting 63 MiCA whitepapers that it says represent about 9% of ESMA filings — and targets sub‑three‑second settlement and jurisdiction‑aware enforcement to attract regulated markets.
Miden and KODA Partner to Build Privacy-First Crypto Infrastructure for Korean Institutions
Miden has signed an MOU with Korea Digital Asset (KODA) to develop custody and infrastructure standards that marry institutional-grade custody with selective privacy tools for compliant blockchain use in South Korea. The move positions both firms to capture flows from banks and corporate treasuries as regulators consider loosening long-standing restrictions on corporate crypto activity.