Malta License Paves Way for OKX Stablecoin Expansion in Europe
OKX has taken a significant step in its European expansion, receiving a payments license that unlocks new capabilities for stablecoin transactions.
In a development shared with Cointelegraph on Monday, the cryptocurrency exchange announced it has been granted a Payment Institution (PI) license in Malta. The authorization is structured under the European Union’s payment regulations and ensures that OKX’s payment products are compliant with the bloc’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) and the Second Payment Services Directive (PSD2).
The license addresses a key regulatory requirement for crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) that wish to offer stablecoin payment services, which necessitate either a PI or Electronic Money Institution (EMI) authorization. This milestone follows the exchange’s receipt of a MiCA license from the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) in January 2025.
According to official MFSA records, the PI license was issued to OKX on Feb. 11 and is now categorized as a Financial Institution license on the company’s platform. This regulatory green light enables the exchange to deliver a full spectrum of payment services throughout the EU, including the ability for users to deposit and withdraw cash from dedicated payment accounts and manage all essential account operations.
