Germany’s Trade Republic Secures Full MiCA License — And Why That’s Huge for EU Crypto

✅ Trade Republic Gets Greenlight to Go Full Crypto Across Europe

Berlin-based fintech Trade Republic just scored a full MiCA license from Germany’s BaFin, making it one of the first major firms in Europe to receive comprehensive approval under the EU’s new crypto law.

What does this mean? It can now legally offer:

• 🛡 Crypto custody
• 🔁 Order execution
• 📤 Transfers — …not just in Germany, but across all 30 European Economic Area countries.

“Trade Republic now operates almost its entire crypto offering in-house,” said Patrick Hansen, EU strategy lead at Circle.

📊 What Is MiCA — And Why Does This License Matter?

MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) is the EU’s first unified crypto framework. It replaces the mess of local laws with one passport-style license that works EU-wide.

Here’s what it unlocks:

• 🧾 No need to apply for 30 different national licenses
• 🔒 Strict regulatory oversight = investor confidence
• 📈 Legal clarity = growth for compliant platforms

Trade Republic now joins the short list of firms allowed to scale crypto across Europe — legally, securely, and with first-mover advantage.

🇩🇪 Germany Leads the Pack in Licensing

As of mid-May 2025:

• Only 25 firms have received MiCA licenses
• Germany’s BaFin has approved 9 — 36% of the total

That makes Germany the de facto gatekeeper of regulated crypto in the EU — and Trade Republic its most high-profile licensee so far.

“The race is on,” Hansen noted. “Neobanks, brokers, fintechs, and TradFi are all rushing for MiCA approval before the deadline hits.”

⏳ The Clock Is Ticking for the Rest

MiCA includes a transition period for legacy VASPs (crypto firms operating under older regimes).

But time’s almost up.

Up to 75% of registered crypto companies could lose EU access if they don’t get licensed in time, warns crypto lawyer Ilja Nikiforov.

Who’s already licensed?

✅ Circle ✅ BitGo ✅ MoonPay ✅ OKX ✅ Bitstamp (via Luxembourg)

Who’s still applying?

🟠 Binance 🟣 Kraken ⚫ Tether

Once the MiCA deadline passes, no license = no EU business.

🏗 Trade Republic’s Play: In-House Infrastructure, EU-Scale Ambitions

Trade Republic serves 4+ million users in 17 markets — and now it’s building crypto infrastructure from the inside out:

• 🧱 Custody, execution, and transfers now fully internalized
• 🤝 Still partnered with Bankhaus Scheich and B2C2 for market-making
• 📲 Delivered via a clean, mobile-first app experience

This isn’t just crypto on the side — it’s crypto as core product.

Think: stocks + ETFs + Bitcoin + tokenized assets — all under one licensed roof.

🧠 TL;DR: Trade Republic Just Went Full MiCA — And That’s a Big Deal

With its BaFin-approved MiCA license, Trade Republic is now a pan-European crypto powerhouse — and one of the first to go fully regulated under the EU’s new rules.

What it means:

• 🧾 Legal clarity across 30 countries
• 🧱 In-house crypto rails = control + scale
• 🏃 First-mover advantage before the MiCA deadline hits

The EU’s crypto future won’t be Wild West — it’ll be passported, regulated, and mobile-first. Trade Republic just claimed its front-row seat.