OKX says it’s set to expand its institutional offering in Europe after it secured the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive license.
The crypto exchange’s Europe arm gets the license following the acquisition of a Malta-licensed firm that has the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II license. The entity, per the announcement, will launch its operations later in the year after relevant nods from the Malta Financial Services Authority.
While OKX did not disclose the acquired entity, it revealed the milestone for the MiFID II license at an exclusive event in Malta.
Regulatory approval for the company’s newly acquired entity will allow it to roll out derivative products and services targeted at institutional investors. The products and services will be available to institutional clients in the European Economic Area, including all 30 member states of the European Union, OKX stated.
“Securing a MiFID II license marks a significant milestone in our mission to integrate digital assets with traditional financial markets,” OKX Europe chief executive officer Erald Ghoos said.” With this license, we are set to deliver institutional-grade services, partner with tier 1 financial institutions, and offer regulated investment solutions that enhance market access and empower investors across the continent.”
OKX’s MiFID II milestone follows the landmark step in regulation the exchange achieved in late January 2025. As reported, OKX led other industry players by becoming the first global cryptocurrency exchange to secure the EU’s full Markets in Crypto Assets license. MiCA allowed the exchange to offer localized products and services, passporting these across the EU bloc.
Available products include spot trading, over-the-counter trading and copy trading.
The exchange also offers more than 240 cryptocurrencies and over 60 euro-based trading pairs. OKX’s footprint in Europe will grow further with this MiFID II license and the offering of regulated derivatives products.
