Crypto in Europe: Austria sets the standard, international players rely on it

It all started with BitpandaBitpanda (), founded in Vienna in 2014, is considered one of Europe's pioneers in the field of digital assets. Bitpanda is now a recognised player in Europe, with remarkable business development over the past year. Following its international expansion, the company continues to rely on the Austrian capital as its headquarters, where it currently employs around 800 people. As the first Austrian FinTech with unicorn status, Bitpanda has paved the way for a regulated crypto and investment landscape in Europe.

Austria is setting standards with the implementation of the new Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR). The country was one of the first in Europe to establish national procedures for the application of the EU regulation. The Financial Market Authority (FMA) supports providers with a transparent process. Legal certainty, efficiency and open communication create trust and planning security.

Global players are betting on Austria

Since the regulatory framework has ensured clarity and legal certainty throughout the EU, leading crypto companies have chosen Austria as their base. Bybit, the world's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange, is establishing its European headquarters in Vienna. Read more about this in our success storysuccess story (). 

Also KuCoinKuCoin () has also recently established itself in Vienna and is preparing for its MiCAR authorisation in Austria. Founded in China in 2017 and based in the Seychelles, the platform is one of the world's largest crypto exchanges, serving more than 40 million users in over 200 countries. Vienna intends to use KuCoin as its EU headquarters as a strategic hub for all European activities and actively recruit talent for its activities. The decisive factors in choosing Austria were, above all, the timely implementation of the MiCAR accompanying legislation, the stable and predictable regulatory environment, and the large talent pool. KuCoin EU recognises Austria's efforts, for example at the instigation of the City of Vienna, to create a transparent, efficient and first-class framework for the activities of crypto companies, while protecting the interests of investors and promoting innovation in the financial sector.

Stablecoin: RBI and Bluechip invite you to the international crypto security summit

Based in Austria, the banking sector is actively involved in digital financial architecture: Nine major European banks – including Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI), based in Vienna – are developing a MiCAR-compliant Euro StablecoinEuro Stablecoin () that is set to establish new standards for secure European payments from 2026 onwards. According to the RBI, the stablecoin will provide round-the-clock access to efficient cross-border payments, programmable payments and improvements in supply chain management and digital asset transaction processing, ranging from securities to cryptocurrencies. 

With the Bluechip25Bluechip25 (), the first global "Crypto Safety Conference", RBI and BluechipBluechip (), the rating agency specialising in cryptocurrencies, are building a bridge between traditional banking and the crypto industry. The two-day event on 6 and 7 November 2025 in Vienna in the RBI ballroom will bring together international experts, C-level representatives from banks, investment companies and crypto start-ups, as well as legal and tax advisors to discuss risks, security measures and regulatory standards in dealing with cryptocurrencies and digital assets. The Austrian Business Agency is a partner of the event.