Ripple Secures MiCA License in Europe as XRP Price Stays Under Pressure

Ripple has strengthened its regulatory presence in Europe after Ripple Payments Europe secured a Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) license under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework. The approval, granted by Luxembourg’s financial regulator (CSSF), officially places Ripple on the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) register, allowing the company to expand regulated crypto payment services across the European Economic Area (EEA).

The MiCA license gives Ripple passporting rights across 30 European countries, enabling it to provide regulated crypto services throughout the bloc with a single authorization instead of obtaining separate approvals in each jurisdiction. The company also holds an electronic money institution (EMI) license in Luxembourg, allowing it to combine fiat and crypto payment services for banks, fintech firms, and corporate clients through one platform.

Ripple now holds more than 75 regulatory licenses globally, including authorization from the UK Financial Conduct Authority, further reinforcing its compliance-focused expansion strategy.

The latest ESMA update added 14 new CASP-approved firms from 10 European countries, including traditional financial institutions such as Portugal’s Bison Bank, Croatia’s Hrvatska poštanska banka, Liechtenstein’s Kaiser Partner Privatbank, and two German cooperative banks. Established financial giants including BBVA, CaixaBank, Commerzbank, and Standard Chartered Luxembourg are already listed, highlighting growing institutional adoption of regulated digital asset services.

However, MiCA licensing activity appears to be slowing. ESMA approved only 14 providers in the latest update, compared with 37 firms immediately after the transition period ended earlier this month.

Despite Ripple’s regulatory milestone, XRP has shown little market reaction. The cryptocurrency traded near $1.07 with a market capitalization exceeding $67 billion while posting a daily decline of about 3.5%. XRP also remains roughly 70% below its all-time high of $3.65, suggesting regulatory progress has yet to translate into stronger price performance.

The dual CASP and EMI licenses could also support Ripple’s long-term stablecoin ambitions. While no European launch has been announced, the approvals position Ripple to potentially offer RLUSD under MiCA rules, which require stablecoin issuers to hold electronic money institution or banking licenses. Meanwhile, increased adoption of Ripple’s payment infrastructure could gradually boost XRP Ledger transaction activity over time.