EU CRYPTO DERIVATIVES · BITUNIX · LAST VERIFIED
Does Bitunix hold a MiFID II authorisation for crypto derivatives in the EU?
Bitunix does not appear in our register as a MiFID II-authorised crypto-derivative venue in the EEA. It does hold a MiCA spot-crypto authorisation, which does not cover derivatives.
Verdict: Bitunix does not currently hold a MiFID II authorisation for crypto derivatives in the EEA.
| EEA authorisation status | None in our register (no MiCA, no MiFID II) |
|---|---|
| MiFID II status | Not authorised in any EEA member state in our register |
| Regulator notice | Seychelles FSA Unauthorised Activity notice (20 September 2024): Bitunix is not licensed by the Seychelles FSA despite its website claiming to be. |
Enforcement context: from , providers of crypto-derivative services to EEA residents without MiFID II authorisation are operating outside the EU regulatory perimeter.
What does this mean for me as a user of Bitunix?
Bitunix does not appear in any EEA register we track. It holds no MiCA authorisation and no MiFID II authorisation. Bitunix is a crypto-derivatives exchange marketing perpetual futures globally, including to users in 29 of 30 EEA member states (the only EEA country listed on Bitunix's own restricted-regions page is France). Crypto perpetual futures fall under Directive 2014/65/EU (MiFID II), which requires the operator to hold an investment-firm authorisation from an EEA national competent authority before offering such products to EEA residents.
On , the Seychelles Financial Services Authority published a public notice on Bitunix. The FSA stated: "Bitunix does not hold a valid license nor is it regulated by the FSA in any capacity; furthermore please take note that the website is not linked to any entity licensed and/ or regulated by the FSA in any capacity." The notice was issued in response to Bitunix's website claiming to be a Seychelles-licensed digital asset exchange.
From , providers of crypto-derivative services to EEA residents without MiFID II authorisation are operating outside the EU regulatory perimeter. Bitunix is one such operator today. EEA users who use Bitunix contract with an entity that has no recognised authorisation in any EEA register nor in the Seychelles register the operator's website refers to.
If you want an EEA MiFID II-authorised alternative for crypto derivatives, see the comparison below.
What are the MiFID II-authorised alternatives?
Six firms in our register hold a MiFID II authorisation that covers crypto derivatives in the EEA. Kraken, Coinbase, and OKX have verified live retail products; the other three hold the relevant licences but the live retail-product status differs.
- OKX - MFSA Malta authorisation (OKX Europe Markets Limited); EUR-native deposit, X-Perps 5-year-expiry crypto futures. Live.
- Kraken - CySEC Cyprus authorisation (Payward Europe Digital Solutions (CY) Limited, licence 342/17); USD-margined perpetuals and fixed-maturity futures. Live.
- Coinbase - CySEC Cyprus authorisation (Coinbase Financial Services Europe Ltd., CIF 374/19); crypto futures and equity index futures via Coinbase Advanced. Live.
- Crypto.com - CySEC Cyprus authorisation (Foris Capital CY Ltd, CIF 344/17); licence covers derivatives and CFDs. Live retail product not independently verified at the time of writing.
- Bitstamp - ATVP Slovenia MTF licence (Bitstamp Financial Services Ltd., granted 24 October 2024); crypto-derivatives multilateral trading facility. Live retail trading not independently verified at the time of writing.
- Bitpanda - FMA Austria MiFID II investment firm (Bitpanda Financial Services GmbH); CFDs on crypto under own-account dealing (Bitpanda Leverage, L-Tokens, S-Tokens, A-Token Derivative). Live for CFDs.
Frequently asked questions about Bitunix and MiFID II
Does Bitunix hold a MiFID II authorisation for crypto derivatives in the EU?
No. Bitunix's EU presence is limited to a recent MiCA authorisation under an EEA national competent authority. No MiFID II investment-firm authorisation for crypto derivatives has been identified in publicly searchable EEA registers.
Has any regulator issued a public notice about Bitunix?
Yes. On 20 September 2024, the Seychelles Financial Services Authority published an Unauthorised Activity notice stating that Bitunix does not hold a valid licence in Seychelles and is not linked to any FSA-licensed entity. The notice was issued in response to Bitunix's website claiming to be a Seychelles-licensed digital asset exchange. No EEA national regulator has issued a public authorisation for Bitunix either; it does not appear in any EEA MiCA or MiFID II register we track.
Does Bitunix restrict access for EU users?
Bitunix's own restricted-regions page lists only one EEA country - France - as restricted. The remaining 29 EEA member states are served by Bitunix without any EU authorisation. From , providers of crypto-derivative services to EEA residents without MiFID II authorisation are operating outside the EU regulatory perimeter.
What are the MiFID II-authorised alternatives if I want regulated crypto derivatives in the EU?
Six firms in our register hold a MiFID II authorisation that covers crypto derivatives: OKX via OKX Europe Markets Limited (MFSA Malta), Kraken via Payward Europe Digital Solutions (CY) Limited (CySEC Cyprus, licence 342/17), Coinbase via Coinbase Financial Services Europe Ltd. (CySEC Cyprus, CIF 374/19, acquired from BUX Cyprus August 2024), Crypto.com via Foris Capital CY Ltd (CySEC Cyprus, CIF 344/17), Bitstamp via Bitstamp Financial Services Ltd. (ATVP Slovenia, MTF licence granted 24 October 2024), and Bitpanda via Bitpanda Financial Services GmbH (FMA Austria, MiFID II investment firm offering CFDs on crypto). Each firm's profile page sets out the licensed entity, regulator, product structure, and whether the retail product is verified live.
How does The Crypto Register verify MiFID II authorisations?
Every MiFID II authorisation claim on this site is verified against at least two primary sources: the firm's own published regulatory disclosures, plus an independent regulator or press source. Our full methodology describes the verification process. Corrections welcome at our contact page.
Sources cited on this page
All facts on this page are verified against at least two primary sources per our methodology. Corrections welcome at our contact page.