EU CRYPTO REGISTER · AUTHORISED · LAST VERIFIED
Is PAYTOP licensed under MiCA in the European Union?
PAYTOP's European entity (PAYTOP SAS) is recorded as an authorised Crypto-Asset Service Provider under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation, with its authorisation issued by France on 21 May 2026.
Verdict: PAYTOP appears in the ESMA Register of MiCA-Authorised CASPs.
| Legal entity | PAYTOP SAS |
|---|---|
| Home Member State | France |
| National Competent Authority | Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) |
| Authorisation date | |
| Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) | 969500VA4A8CRCS2N988 |
| Authorised services | Custody, Exchange for funds, Transfer services |
Source: ESMA Register of Crypto-Asset Service Providers. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
About PAYTOP
PAYTOP is the brand of PAYTOP SAS, a France-based financial-services company headquartered at 1 rue de Stockholm, 75008 Paris. Rather than a consumer crypto exchange, its public-facing business is institutional: PAYTOP markets white-label, API-based money-transfer and remittance infrastructure to banks and other businesses, and on its own site it describes itself as a payment institution authorised to provide payment services across European countries. According to company-linked profiles, PAYTOP SAS was founded in 2012. Sources: paytop.com, PayAtlas company profile
On the regulatory question: PAYTOP SAS is authorised as a crypto-asset service provider (CASP) under the EU Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). Its competent authority is the French Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF), and the entity appears on the AMF's public MiCA CASP white list. Separately, for traditional payment services, PAYTOP states it is a licensed payment institution regulated by the ACPR (Banque de France), which is the basis for its EUR and SEPA payment capability. Sources: AMF MiCA CASP white list, paytop.com
The MiCA authorisation covers a defined set of crypto-asset services: custody and administration of crypto-assets, exchange of crypto-assets for funds, and transfer services for crypto-assets. It does not extend to services outside that list - on the research available, the CASP scope does not include savings or recurring-buy (DCA) products, staking, or a crypto card. Anyone evaluating PAYTOP for a specific crypto activity should confirm the exact authorised services and the registering entity directly on the AMF register, since the licence attaches to PAYTOP SAS as the contracting legal entity. Sources: AMF MiCA CASP white list, Bank of Lithuania CASP register
Which crypto services is PAYTOP authorised to offer in the EU?
Under its MiCA authorisation issued by Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF), PAYTOP (PAYTOP SAS) is approved to provide the following services to EEA residents. Each service is defined in Article 3(1)(16) of Regulation (EU) 2023/1114.
-
Providing custody and administration of crypto-assets on behalf of clients
The exchange holds your crypto in its own wallets. Authorisation here means MiCA's segregation and insurance rules apply: client crypto-assets must be ring-fenced from the exchange's own funds.
-
Exchange of crypto-assets for funds
The exchange offers crypto-to-fiat (e.g. BTC to EUR) and fiat-to-crypto conversion. Authorisation here implies MiCA's pricing transparency requirements.
-
Providing transfer services for crypto-assets on behalf of clients
The exchange can move crypto between addresses on your behalf, including off-platform withdrawals. The Travel Rule applies to these transfers.
Which services is PAYTOP not authorised to offer?
PAYTOP's MiCA licence does not cover: Trading platform, Exchange for crypto, Order execution, Placing, Order R&T, Advice, Portfolio mgmt. These services may still be offered by other authorised providers, or by PAYTOP under a different regulatory framework (for example, derivatives may fall under MiFID II rather than MiCA). Source: ESMA Register, retrieved 30 June 2026.
See other MiCA-authorised exchanges by service:
Why is PAYTOP licensed in France?
France ran one of the EU's earliest national crypto regimes, the PACTE Law DASP (Digital Asset Service Provider) registration, which gave the AMF years of pre-MiCA supervisory experience. The AMF began granting MiCA CASP authorisations in 2025-2026 and also maintains a public white list of CASPs passporting into France from other EEA states. BlockNodes SAS, the French entity behind the SwissBorg consumer brand, received its direct MiCA authorisation from the AMF in March 2026. Source: Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF).
| National Competent Authority | Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) |
|---|---|
| Investor compensation | Fonds de Garantie des Dépôts et de Résolution (FGDR); check directly with the AMF for crypto-asset-specific compensation scope. |
| Regulatory context | Early mover on national crypto licensing (PACTE Law) ahead of MiCA; the AMF also publishes a white list of EEA-passported CASPs. |
What does this mean for users of PAYTOP in the EU?
If you transact through PAYTOP's EEA-authorised entity (PAYTOP SAS), the protections introduced by MiCA apply to your relationship from onwards. In practical terms this means: client crypto-assets are ring-fenced from the exchange's own funds (Article 70 MiCA), the authorised entity holds prudential capital, has formal complaint-handling procedures, and is subject to transparency obligations on fees and order execution. Source: Regulation (EU) 2023/1114.
One thing to verify yourself: the legal entity you contract with day-to-day must match the entity in the ESMA register. Some global exchanges operate multiple legal entities under one brand. Confirm in PAYTOP's terms of service that your contracting entity is PAYTOP SAS, not a non-EEA affiliate.
Which MiCA-authorised exchanges are alternatives to PAYTOP?
Three MiCA-authorised providers to consider. Drawn from the ESMA register, never paid placement.
| Provider | Home Member State | Authorised | Services |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaric Securities | Bulgaria | 9 services | |
| OKX | Malta | 9 services | |
| Kraken | Ireland | 8 services |
Related reading
Understand the regulatory context behind PAYTOP's entry on the register:
Frequently asked questions about PAYTOP and MiCA
Is PAYTOP licensed under MiCA?
Yes. PAYTOP appears in the ESMA Register of MiCA-Authorised Crypto-Asset Service Providers, with its authorisation issued by the competent authority of France.
Which EU countries can PAYTOP serve under this licence?
A MiCA authorisation in one EEA member state permits passporting across all EEA member states, subject to a notification process to each host-state regulator.
Are my crypto-assets on PAYTOP protected under MiCA?
MiCA introduces ring-fencing of client crypto-assets, prudential capital requirements for the authorised entity, complaint-handling obligations, and conduct rules. It does not provide a deposit-guarantee scheme equivalent to bank deposit insurance.
What's the difference between the authorised entity and the global brand?
Some global exchanges operate multiple legal entities. The MiCA authorisation applies only to the specific legal entity in the ESMA register, not to the global brand. Verify the contracting entity in PAYTOP's terms of service.
Where can I check the official record?
The ESMA register publishes the authoritative list and updates it weekly. The direct link to PAYTOP's entry is on this page under 'Sources'.
Sources
This page is updated weekly. Last verified . If you believe any information on this page is inaccurate, write to our contact page.