Osborne Clarke Netherlands is proud to announce that it has successfully assisted ZBD (ZEBEDEE Europe) in obtaining its crypto-asset service provider license under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR). With MiCAR coming into force on 30 December 2024, ZBD was among the first to secure this important regulatory approval.

ZBD, a fintech company specialising in Bitcoin Lightning Network payments, provides innovative solutions in the gaming and interactive entertainment space. With a focus on instant payments powered by the Bitcoin Lightning Network, as well as secure Bitcoin custody, ZBD is committed to expanding the possibilities enabled by the digital economy and fostering growth within the regulated European market.

This license allows ZBD to offer a comprehensive suite of cryptocurrency custody and exchange services across the EU. The MiCAR regulation aims to establish a unified legal framework for crypto-assets within the EU, enhancing consumer protection, ensuring market integrity, and fostering innovation within the digital finance sector.

We’re very excited about the opportunities this opens for us in the EU

Nelly Popoli, Head of EU Risk and Compliance at ZBD

“The capabilities granted to us under MiCAR are essential for our strategic goals and we’re very excited about the opportunities this opens for us in the EU,” says Nelly Popoli, Head of EU Risk and Compliance at ZBD. “Osborne Clarke was instrumental in helping us become one of the first companies to receive the MiCAR license and a great partner in this complex project.”

Osborne Clarke's Amsterdam-based Financial Regulatory team, led by Johannes de Jong and Anka Langedijk, played a crucial role in this achievement. Key contributions were made by Juliet de Graaf, Jet Francke, and Piet Lange.

The Osborne Clarke financial regulatory team is renowned as one of the busiest practices for license applications to Dutch financial regulators (AFM and DNB). Recently, the AFM granted three MiCAR licenses and approved one notification, with Osborne Clarke involved in two of these applications. Furthermore, they are particularly strong in the fields of banks (CRR/CRD4), cryptocurrency (AMLD5/MiCAR), payments and e-money (PSD2/EMD2), investment firms/crowdfunding (MiFID2/ECSPR), and fund managers (AIFMD/UCITS).

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