Bitcoin.de Turns to Regulated Partners After BaFin Rejects MiCA License
Bitcoin.de is seeking regulated partners to resume operations after BaFin rejected the MiCA license application of its subsidiary, futurum bank AG, resulting in significant financial losses and a prolonged trading suspension.
BaFin Rejects Futurum Bank’s MiCA Application
On Oct. 6, Bitcoin Group SE announced that its subsidiary, futurum bank AG, had received a rejection from Germany’s financial regulator, BaFin, regarding its Markets in Crypto-Assets application, which was filed on June 27, 2025. The evaluation period spanned a minimum of 15 months, and trading on Bitcoin.de was ultimately suspended on June 12, 2026.
The financial watchdog notified futurum bank that its prior authorization to deliver crypto-asset services has been revoked. Bitcoin Group anticipates receiving formal notice of the ruling along with a one-month window to file a challenge.
Disputing BaFin’s choice to strip the bank of its registration, Bitcoin Group plans to appeal the decision and pursue future registration as a crypto-asset service provider.
According to Bitcoin Group, BaFin officials stated that futurum bank lacked sufficient readiness and implementation measures to secure approval, alongside other shortcomings that could not be quickly resolved.
The firm indicated it was undertaking the necessary regulatory steps. While BaFin has not issued any additional comprehensive statements concerning the verdict, the details regarding the regulator’s action originate from Bitcoin Group.
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Rather than applying for fresh licenses, Bitcoin.de is collaborating with already-licensed German entities to re-establish market operations as swiftly as possible. At least one German-licensed enterprise will act as a trading partner for Bitcoin.de users, while a separate licensed entity will manage digital asset custody.
Specific partners have not yet been chosen, making partner selection an urgent priority for the organization.
Bitcoin.de Targets Trading Restart Within Weeks
Chief Executive Officer Moritz Eckert stated that Bitcoin Group intends to resume trading on the Bitcoin.de application within the upcoming weeks, though an exact date was not provided. The company noted that futurum bank will maintain custody of user cryptocurrencies on behalf of Bitcoin.de until those holdings are transferred to another custodian, emphasizing that customer claims remain unaffected.
The regulatory hurdles emerged following a recent announcement by Bitcoin Group detailing the conclusion of beta testing for its website and mobile app. The company aims to transition away from the peer-to-peer offerings on Bitcoin.de toward a traditional cryptocurrency exchange featuring staking capabilities and more than 100 available digital assets.
The prolonged suspension negatively impacted the enterprise’s financial performance. During the first half of 2026, revenue dropped to €1.59 million, marking a 63% decline compared to the €3.78 million recorded in the first half of 2025.
The EBITDA loss for the first half of 2026 reached €3.25 million, growing from a loss of €370,000 during the same period in 2025. Bitcoin Group attributed the diminished revenue primarily to reduced trading volumes, broader market conditions, and increased expenditures directed toward platform reconstruction and personnel expansion.
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Despite the recent downtime, the business documented €199 million in net virtual currency assets as of June 30, alongside a net ownership stake of 71.8% at that time. Due to the delayed reactivation of its digital currency exchange operations, Bitcoin Group anticipates that its full-year 2026 revenue will fall short of 2025 figures and that its annual EBITDA for 2026 will be negative.
