EU CRYPTO REGISTER · AUTHORISED · LAST VERIFIED
Is Socios.com licensed under MiCA in the European Union?
Socios.com's European entity (Socios Europe Services Limited) is recorded as an authorised Crypto-Asset Service Provider under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation, with its authorisation issued by Malta on 10 September 2025.
Verdict: Socios.com appears in the ESMA Register of MiCA-Authorised CASPs.
| Legal entity | Socios Europe Services Limited |
|---|---|
| Home Member State | Malta |
| National Competent Authority | Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) |
| Authorisation date | |
| Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) | 984500EBA2E9980CDD80 |
| Authorised services | Custody, Exchange for funds, Exchange for crypto, Placing, Transfer services |
Source: ESMA Register of Crypto-Asset Service Providers. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
About Socios.com
Socios.com is a consumer crypto-asset platform built around sports fan engagement rather than a bank, custodian, broker or asset manager. According to its own disclosures and research summaries, the platform is centred on Fan Tokens, digital assets issued on the Chiliz Chain that let holders vote in club polls and access rewards, rather than Bitcoin or general crypto-assets. The product was founded in 2018 by Alexandre Dreyfus and sits within The Chiliz Group. It supports EUR and SEPA payments for purchasing Fan Tokens through its regulated gateway. Sources: Socios.com registration notice, Wikipedia: Socios.com
The contracting legal entity behind the regulated service is Socios Europe Services Limited (SES), a Maltese company headquartered in Msida, Malta and incorporated on 16 May 2019. Socios reports that it began shifting its crypto operations to this entity from 1 October 2025. The relevant national regulator is the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), which acts as the competent authority for MiCA in Malta. Sources: Socios.com MiCA authorisation announcement, Socios.com legal hub
On the licensing question: Socios Europe Services Limited was granted authorisation as a Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) under the EU's MiCA Regulation by the MFSA, which Socios dates to 11 September 2025 and describes as the first sports-focused platform authorised under MiCA. The ESMA register of services attached to this authorisation covers custody and administration of crypto-assets, exchange of crypto-assets for funds, exchange of crypto-assets for other crypto-assets, placing of crypto-assets, and transfer services for crypto-assets. The licence does not extend to services outside that list, such as operation of a trading platform, reception and transmission of orders, portfolio management or advice on crypto-assets. Sources: Socios.com MiCA pre-authorisation release, Socios.com dual MiCA milestone
Note that the scope of the MiCA licence is wider than the services currently marketed to users. Research summaries indicate the platform in practice focuses on placing and transfer of its own Fan Tokens, with custody and administration applied to those tokens, while the exchange-related permissions on the register are not presented as live consumer trading of general crypto-assets. Features such as fan polls, "Stake and Earn" reward points and a Web3 dApp browser are product functions and are not, in themselves, regulated MiCA services. Source: Socios.com how it works
Which crypto services is Socios.com authorised to offer in the EU?
Under its MiCA authorisation issued by Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), Socios.com (Socios Europe Services Limited) is approved to provide the following services to EEA residents. Each service is defined in Article 3(1)(16) of Regulation (EU) 2023/1114.
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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.
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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.
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Exchange of crypto-assets for other crypto-assets
The exchange offers crypto-to-crypto trading (e.g. BTC to ETH). Required for most spot trading pairs not denominated in fiat.
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Placing of crypto-assets
The exchange can underwrite or distribute new crypto-asset issuances. Relevant for primary offerings and structured token launches.
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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 Socios.com not authorised to offer?
Socios.com's MiCA licence does not cover: Trading platform, Order execution, Order R&T, Advice, Portfolio mgmt. These services may still be offered by other authorised providers, or by Socios.com 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 Socios.com licensed in Malta?
Malta was an early MiCA mover, granting the first authorisations on 27 January 2025. The MFSA had pre-existing experience under Malta's Virtual Financial Assets Act (2018), which gave it institutional readiness most other national competent authorities lacked. Several global exchanges chose Malta for their EU passporting hub, including OKX, Crypto.com and Gemini. Source: Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA).
| National Competent Authority | Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) |
|---|---|
| Investor compensation | Malta Investor Compensation Scheme provides limited cover; check directly with MFSA for crypto-specific scope. |
| Regulatory context | Malta hosts the highest number of MiCA-authorised CASPs from major global brands. |
What does this mean for users of Socios.com in the EU?
If you transact through Socios.com's EEA-authorised entity (Socios Europe Services Limited), 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 Socios.com's terms of service that your contracting entity is Socios Europe Services Limited, not a non-EEA affiliate.
Which MiCA-authorised exchanges are alternatives to Socios.com?
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 Socios.com's entry on the register:
Frequently asked questions about Socios.com and MiCA
Is Socios.com licensed under MiCA?
Yes. Socios.com appears in the ESMA Register of MiCA-Authorised Crypto-Asset Service Providers, with its authorisation issued by the competent authority of Malta.
Which EU countries can Socios.com 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 Socios.com 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 Socios.com'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 Socios.com's entry is on this page under 'Sources'.
Sources
- ESMA Register of Crypto-Asset Service Providers
- Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA)
- ESMA MiCA Register - Socios.com (Socios Europe Services Limited)
- Socios.com official website
- Socios.com MiCA authorisation announcement (The Chiliz Group dual MiCA milestone)
- Socios.com registration notice (MiCA, authorisation ID SESL2-25081)
- Socios.com MiCA pre-authorisation from MFSA press release
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