Banks are now nearly a quarter of all MiCA CASPs

The number of banks holding a European MiCA authorisation for crypto services has doubled in just over eleven weeks: from around 40 at the end of June to 80 on 16 September 2026. Of the 349 crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) registered in total, banks now account for almost 23% of the ESMA register, up from 17% in June. Most entrants are still specialist crypto firms, but for the first time the shift comes with a concrete number rather than a single example.

What has actually changed

ESMA’s CASP register grew from 243 to 349 registered crypto-asset service providers between the end of June and 16 September 2026. Within that group, the share of bank entities rose from around 17% to nearly 23%, while the share of specialist crypto providers fell from 84% to 77%. The register itself is published as a CSV file on ESMA’s website and updated weekly; at the time of writing, the most recent update was dated 16 September 2026. These figures are drawn from analysis by Cointelegraph and by Odaily Planet Daily (via KuCoin) of that register; this site has not independently recalculated the exact count.

This isn’t the first time this site has tracked the size of the register — the count stood at 244 in early July and 324 in mid-August. What’s new isn’t the total, but who’s joining now.

Which banks are signing up

German cooperative banks dominate

Most of the new bank registrations come from Germany: various Volksbank, Raiffeisenbank and VR Bank institutions, alongside bigger names. Deutsche Bank is named as a firm preparing digital-asset services for institutional clients. Germany already held the most CASP authorisations in Europe in this site’s earlier counts.

The Netherlands: ClearBank got there first

ClearBank Europe became the first Dutch bank to file an official CASP notification with the regulator in April 2026, allowing it to offer stablecoins such as Euro Coin (EURC) and USD Coin (USDC) across the EU via Circle’s Mint platform. That’s older news than the current growth, but it shows the pattern was already under way outside Germany before September’s figures made it visible.

What this means for you

A bank being registered as a CASP doesn’t automatically mean you’ll be able to buy bitcoin at the counter tomorrow. Banks already under financial supervision only need to file a notification for crypto services rather than go through a full authorisation application — a lower bar than for a crypto-only provider. Most of these registrations are, for now, focused on custody, settlement and services for institutional clients, not retail crypto sales through the regular banking app.

Checking an authorisation yourself

Want to know whether a specific provider — bank or exchange — is genuinely listed in the ESMA register, rather than just claiming to be MiCA-compliant? Here’s how to check a MiCA authorisation yourself shows how to consult the register. For providers active in several EU countries, it also matters which country issued the authorisation: see the EU passport of an authorisation. An earlier count of the register is in MiCA register grows to 324 authorisations.

None of the parties named in this article have their own offer on this site; a comparison of regulated exchanges is available at /vergelijken.

Frequently asked questions

Is a MiCA notification for a bank the same as a CASP authorisation?

Not quite. A bank already under financial supervision can offer crypto services with a notification, without going through the full CASP authorisation procedure a crypto-only firm needs. The bank is then still listed in the ESMA register as an authorised CASP.

Does this mean my own bank now sells crypto too?

Not automatically. Most bank registrations so far focus on custody, settlement and services for institutional clients, not on selling bitcoin or other coins to retail customers through the regular banking app.

Where can I find the full, current register?

The CASP register is published as a CSV file on ESMA’s website and updated weekly. This site tracks the main changes in its MiCA authorisation coverage.

Figures on the number of banks and CASPs: ESMA CASP register (updated 16 September 2026), as analysed by Cointelegraph and Odaily Planet Daily/KuCoin, both published on 18 September 2026. Read on 18 September 2026.