Oct. 7 (CandyPulse) — Bitcoin.de, one of Germany's best-known crypto trading platforms, is looking for a new way to get back in business. Germany's financial regulator, BaFin, has rejected the MiCA licence application filed by futurum bank AG, the bank behind the platform. Its parent company, Bitcoin Group SE, now plans to restart trading with the help of regulated German partners.
Key takeaways
MiCA (the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation) is Europe's rulebook for crypto companies. To keep serving customers, firms need a licence as a crypto-asset service provider.
Futurum bank applied on June 27, 2025. On Oct. 6, 2026, Bitcoin Group announced that BaFin had refused the application. The regulator considered the bank's implementation and operational readiness not good enough, and judged that the progress it could make in the short term wouldn't meet the remaining requirements.
CEO Moritz Eckert called the decision a blow. He said the company had prepared for the possibility of a refusal and is already pursuing alternatives. Bitcoin Group is reviewing the decision and could file an objection or apply again in the future.
Instead of doing everything itself, Bitcoin.de plans to work with two regulated German partners:
| Role | Who handles it |
|---|---|
| Trading | One regulated institution acts as the trading counterparty for customers |
| Custody | Another regulated German company holds customers' crypto |
| Customer experience | A technologically revamped Bitcoin.de app |
The company is targeting a restart within weeks.
For now, customer assets remain with futurum bank until they are transferred to another regulated German custodian. If you have an account on Bitcoin.de, watch for official emails and notices from the platform, and be wary of anyone contacting you with "urgent" instructions about moving funds.
Bitcoin.de has been a familiar name in German crypto for years, so the decision is a strong signal of how strict MiCA licensing can be. Getting a licence isn't just paperwork; regulators want to see that a company's systems and controls are fully ready.
It also shows a path many firms may follow: when they can't meet every requirement alone, they partner with already-licensed institutions to keep serving customers.
The key things to watch are when trading actually resumes, which partners Bitcoin.de names, and whether Bitcoin Group decides to challenge BaFin's decision or reapply. For customers, the most important step will be a smooth and secure transfer of their assets to the new custodian.
This article is for information only and is not financial advice.
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