luxembourg

According to The Block, Ripple has obtained a full Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license from the Luxembourg Financial Supervisory Authority (CSSF), which officially came into effect after preliminary approval on January 14.This authorization allows Ripple to expand its payment and digital asset services across the entire European Union, providing a regulated channel for its blockchain-based payment services to enter the European market.

Ripple has obtained a full Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license issued by the Luxembourg Financial Industry Supervisory Commission (CSSF). Previously, Ripple received preliminary approval for the license last month and has now fulfilled all the conditions required by the CSSF.

Ripple announced on platform X that it has obtained a preliminary license as an electronic money institution issued by the Luxembourg Financial Industry Supervisory Commission (CSSF) to further promote Ripple's payment business expansion within the European Union, which will introduce institutional-grade digital asset infrastructure to the region.

Ripple has announced that it has received preliminary approval for an electronic money institution license issued by the Luxembourg Financial Industry Supervisory Commission (CSSF). This is a key step for Ripple Payments to expand in the EU region, bringing institutional-grade digital asset infrastructure to the area.

According to market news, Luxembourg's Finance Minister Gilles Roth stated on Thursday that although the country's intergenerational sovereign wealth fund (FSIL) has the right to invest in other crypto assets, it has decided to allocate 1% of its portfolio specifically to Bitcoin. He mentioned at the 2025 Amsterdam Bitcoin Conference that the fund chose to invest solely in Bitcoin, aiming for long-term development.Last month, the Luxembourg Ministry of Finance announced that FSIL is the first sovereign wealth fund in Europe to invest in Bitcoin, allocating 1% to Bitcoin and other crypto assets through ETFs. Roth emphasized that cryptocurrencies, especially Bitcoin, are part of Europe's competitive strategy, and digital assets have become central to global policy discussions. He believes that Bitcoin can enhance Europe's competitiveness, describing it as a "never-ending" system, with more and more European political leaders beginning to study it. He also pointed out that crypto assets are not a speculation but a bridge between code and capital; while the economy may not shift to a Bitcoin standard, it will become part of future finance.

ChainCatcher news, according to CoinDesk, a sovereign wealth fund in Luxembourg has invested 1% of its assets in a Bitcoin ETF, becoming the first national fund in the Eurozone to take such a step.Luxembourg's Finance Minister Gilles Roth revealed during the submission of the 2026 budget to the House of Representatives that Luxembourg's intergenerational sovereign wealth fund (FSIL) has invested 1% of its assets in Bitcoin. Jonathan Westhead, head of communications at the Luxembourg Financial Authority, stated that this investment is a practical implementation of FSIL's new investment policy, which was approved by the government in July 2025, aimed at showcasing Luxembourg's leading position in the digital finance sector.Established in 2014, FSIL currently holds $730 million in assets, primarily invested in high-quality bonds. After the revised framework, FSIL can allocate up to 15% of its assets to alternative investments, including private equity, real estate, and crypto assets, in addition to continuing investments in the stock and bond markets. To mitigate risks, Bitcoin investments are made through selected ETFs.

ChainCatcher news, according to an official announcement from Coinbase, Coinbase has obtained a Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) license from the Luxembourg Financial Industry Supervisory Commission (CSSF), enabling the exchange to offer a full suite of cryptocurrency products and services to a population of 450 million across the 27 EU member states.According to the announcement, Coinbase will establish its European crypto hub in Luxembourg, which has passed four blockchain-related policies. Over the past few years, Coinbase has obtained licenses in Germany, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain, and will now unify these operations under the MiCA framework.

ChainCatcher news, according to Reuters, informed sources say that Coinbase and Gemini are expected to obtain EU crypto licenses from Luxembourg and Malta respectively, authorized to operate across 27 countries under the MiCA regulations.This move has sparked regulatory divergence in Europe, with some countries expressing doubts about Malta's rapid approvals for OKX, Crypto.com, and Gemini, fearing a "race to the bottom" in regulation. Officials from France's AMF and ESMA have also expressed concerns about uneven enforcement. Meanwhile, Coinbase is expanding its small team in Luxembourg to strengthen compliance efforts.

ChainCatcher news, according to Reuters, the two largest cryptocurrency companies in the world are about to obtain licenses to operate across the EU, while the divergence in the speed and strictness of approvals by regulators in some countries is increasing.Under the new EU Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, member states can issue licenses allowing crypto companies to operate across the 27 EU member states. Gemini is about to receive a license from Malta, and Coinbase is also about to receive approval from Luxembourg.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, Luxembourg has classified virtual asset service providers (VASPs) as high-risk entities for money laundering in its 2025 National Risk Assessment (NRA) report.The assessment considers factors such as the trading volume of the crypto industry, customer reach, distribution channels, and international operations, which increase the risk of financial crime.

ChainCatcher news, Luxembourg has passed the "Blockchain Law 4," aimed at making the adoption of DLT for securities easier. This is the country's fourth blockchain law.According to the current DLT securities law, Luxembourg adopts a two-tier concept, including a central account manager, similar to a Central Securities Depository (CSD), but less cumbersome. The second tier involves account managers, i.e., custodians.EU credit institutions or investment firms or Central Securities Depositories (CSD) can act as control agents. There is no need to obtain a license in Luxembourg, but the regulatory authority (CSSF) must be notified several months in advance.

ChainCatcher news, according to The Block, UK-based large crypto trading firm B2C2 has obtained registration from the Luxembourg financial regulatory authority through an acquisition. According to the registration website of the Luxembourg Financial Industry Supervisory Commission, B2C2 has become the 12th officially licensed cryptocurrency company in the country.After registration, B2C2 will be able to offer over-the-counter spot cryptocurrency trading to institutional clients and collaborate with local cryptocurrency service providers and traditional financial institutions. As part of its expansion in Europe, B2C2 recently acquired the French cryptocurrency liquidity provider Woorton. The company stated that the Luxembourg branch will be led by Denzel Walters, the business manager of B2C2's London office.

ChainCatcher message, based on data analysis from CryptoGambling.tv, calculates that Slovenia is the most cryptocurrency-obsessed country in Europe when considering the search volume as a percentage of the population. Luxembourg and the Netherlands rank second and third, respectively.Slovenia has approximately 100,000 cryptocurrency-related searches per month, averaging 4,789 searches per 100,000 people, which is the highest ratio among all European countries.Luxembourg has about 17,000 cryptocurrency searches per month, with 2,600 searches per 100,000 people.The Netherlands has 2,600 searches per 100,000 people, with a total monthly search volume reaching 452,000.Finland and Turkey rank fourth and fifth, respectively.

ChainCatcher news, according to Bloomberg, Standard Chartered's subsidiary, the cryptocurrency custody institution Zodia Custody, has registered as a virtual asset service provider in Luxembourg, expanding its business scope to Europe. Zodia Custody is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Standard Chartered, with Northern Trust holding a 10% stake in the business. (Source link)

ChainCatcher news, payment giant PayPal has announced that it will expand its cryptocurrency buying, selling, and holding services to Luxembourg in the coming days. Once available, eligible customers will be able to buy, sell, and hold Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Bitcoin Cash in their PayPal accounts through the website or mobile app.It is reported that PayPal's cryptocurrency service was first launched in the United States in 2020 and expanded to the UK in 2021. (source link)