EU CRYPTO REGISTER · COMPARISON · LAST VERIFIED
Coinbase vs Kraken: MiCA licence status compared
This page compares Coinbase and Kraken against the ESMA Register of MiCA-Authorised Crypto-Asset Service Providers. In short: Coinbase is authorised in Luxembourg (since 20 June 2025) with 7 services; Kraken is authorised in Ireland (since 25 June 2025) with 7 services. All data is sourced from primary public records.
One-line summary
Both Coinbase (authorised in Luxembourg, 20 June 2025) and Kraken (authorised in Ireland, 25 June 2025) appear in the ESMA Register of MiCA-Authorised CASPs. Source: ESMA Register of CASPs, retrieved 14 May 2026.
Side-by-side: Coinbase vs Kraken under MiCA
Every row is sourced from the ESMA register (Article 109 MiCA), GLEIF, and CoinGecko. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
| Question | Coinbase | Kraken |
|---|---|---|
| In the ESMA MiCA register? | Yes | Yes |
| EU legal entity | Coinbase Luxembourg S.A. | Payward Europe Solutions Limited |
| Home Member State | Luxembourg | Ireland |
| Authorisation date | ||
| Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) | - | - |
| Number of authorised services | 7 | 7 |
| Custody authorised | Yes | Yes |
| Trading platform authorised | No | Yes |
| Year founded | - | - |
| CoinGecko trust score | - | - |
What is the key difference between Coinbase and Kraken under MiCA?
The key difference is regulatory home: Coinbase is supervised primarily by the National Competent Authority of Luxembourg, while Kraken is supervised by the National Competent Authority of Ireland. Under MiCA Article 65, both can passport their authorised services across the entire EEA, but day-to-day supervision, the investor compensation framework, and the regulator that handles complaints differ. The Coinbase entity Coinbase Luxembourg S.A. reports 7 authorised services; the Kraken entity Payward Europe Solutions Limited reports 7.
Which services do Coinbase and Kraken offer under MiCA?
MiCA Article 3(1)(16) defines ten distinct crypto-asset services. The authorisation an exchange holds is service-specific. A "Yes" below means the entity is authorised for that service in its home Member State and may passport that service across the EEA.
| Service | Coinbase | Kraken |
|---|---|---|
| Custody | Yes | Yes |
| Trading platform | No | Yes |
| Exchange for funds | Yes | Yes |
| Exchange for crypto | Yes | Yes |
| Order execution | Yes | Yes |
| Placing | Yes | Yes |
| Order R&T | Yes | No |
| Advice | No | No |
| Portfolio mgmt | No | No |
| Transfer services | Yes | Yes |
FAQ: Coinbase vs Kraken
Is Coinbase licensed under MiCA in the EU?
Yes. Coinbase appears in the ESMA Register of MiCA-Authorised CASPs through Coinbase Luxembourg S.A., authorised in Luxembourg on 20 June 2025.
Is Kraken licensed under MiCA in the EU?
Yes. Kraken appears in the ESMA Register of MiCA-Authorised CASPs through Payward Europe Solutions Limited, authorised in Ireland on 25 June 2025.
Which is safer to use in the EU, Coinbase or Kraken?
Regulatory protection is not the same as commercial safety, but MiCA authorisation is the strongest signal an EU resident has of supervised operations. Authorised CASPs are subject to client-asset ring-fencing (Article 70), prudential capital, complaint handling, and transparency rules. Choose based on a combination of licence status, service breadth, and own due diligence.
Can Coinbase and Kraken both passport into all EEA countries?
An EU member state authorisation enables passporting across the EEA under MiCA Article 65, subject to a notification process. An exchange not in the register cannot passport. Always confirm which legal entity is your counterparty before depositing.
Where does the data on this page come from?
All licence data is taken from the ESMA Register of Crypto-Asset Service Providers (retrieved 14 May 2026); legal-entity details come from the GLEIF LEI database; market data comes from CoinGecko. Each source is cited inline and linked at the bottom of this page.
Sources cited on this page
Comparisons on this page are derived from the public ESMA register and GLEIF entries. The Crypto Register has no commercial relationship with either provider. Last verified .