EU CRYPTO REGISTER · COMPARISON · LAST VERIFIED
OKX vs Bitstamp: MiCA licence status compared
This page compares OKX and Bitstamp against the ESMA Register of MiCA-Authorised Crypto-Asset Service Providers. In short: OKX is authorised in Malta (since 27 January 2025) with 8 services; Bitstamp is authorised in Luxembourg (since 15 May 2025) with 7 services. All data is sourced from primary public records.
One-line summary
Both OKX (authorised in Malta, 27 January 2025) and Bitstamp (authorised in Luxembourg, 15 May 2025) appear in the ESMA Register of MiCA-Authorised CASPs. Source: ESMA Register of CASPs, retrieved 14 May 2026.
Side-by-side: OKX vs Bitstamp under MiCA
Every row is sourced from the ESMA register (Article 109 MiCA), GLEIF, and CoinGecko. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
| Question | OKX | Bitstamp |
|---|---|---|
| In the ESMA MiCA register? | Yes | Yes |
| EU legal entity | OKX Europe Limited | Bitstamp Europe S.A. |
| Home Member State | Malta | Luxembourg |
| Authorisation date | ||
| Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) | - | - |
| Number of authorised services | 8 | 7 |
| Custody authorised | Yes | Yes |
| Trading platform authorised | Yes | Yes |
| Year founded | - | - |
| CoinGecko trust score | - | - |
What is the key difference between OKX and Bitstamp under MiCA?
The key difference is regulatory home: OKX is supervised primarily by the National Competent Authority of Malta, while Bitstamp is supervised by the National Competent Authority of Luxembourg. 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 OKX entity OKX Europe Limited reports 8 authorised services; the Bitstamp entity Bitstamp Europe S.A. reports 7.
Which services do OKX and Bitstamp 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 | OKX | Bitstamp |
|---|---|---|
| Custody | Yes | Yes |
| Trading platform | Yes | Yes |
| Exchange for funds | Yes | Yes |
| Exchange for crypto | Yes | Yes |
| Order execution | Yes | Yes |
| Placing | Yes | No |
| Order R&T | Yes | Yes |
| Advice | No | No |
| Portfolio mgmt | No | No |
| Transfer services | Yes | Yes |
FAQ: OKX vs Bitstamp
Is OKX licensed under MiCA in the EU?
Yes. OKX appears in the ESMA Register of MiCA-Authorised CASPs through OKX Europe Limited, authorised in Malta on 27 January 2025.
Is Bitstamp licensed under MiCA in the EU?
Yes. Bitstamp appears in the ESMA Register of MiCA-Authorised CASPs through Bitstamp Europe S.A., authorised in Luxembourg on 15 May 2025.
Which is safer to use in the EU, OKX or Bitstamp?
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 OKX and Bitstamp 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 .