Bitget Names Former Bitpanda Legal Chief Oliver Stauber as CEO of Bitget EU
Why Bitget Is Creating a Separate EU Entity
Bitget has appointed former Bitpanda chief legal officer and former KuCoin EU head Oliver Stauber as chief executive of Bitget EU, as the crypto platform prepares for the full rollout of the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation framework.
The company applied for a MiCA license in Austria in 2025 and expects regulatory approval in the second quarter of 2026. Until authorization is granted, Bitget EU will not offer services to residents of the European Economic Area, Stauber told Cointelegraph.
Instead of passporting services from its offshore platform, Bitget is building a standalone European entity with its own governance, controls, and compliance framework. The EU arm will be headquartered in Vienna and operate independently from Bitget’s global business, a structure increasingly favored by regulators under MiCA.
“Oliver’s appointment builds our confidence in Bitget’s long-term presence in Europe,” Bitget CEO Gracy Chen said in a statement. She added that Stauber brings the regulatory experience required to establish the company’s European base in Austria.
Investor Takeaway
Ring-Fencing EU Users and Tightening Controls
Stauber said Bitget EU will fully separate EEA users from the offshore Bitget platform. The company plans to rely on Internet Protocol address detection and enhanced Know Your Customer controls to prevent European residents from accessing unlicensed services through geographic workarounds or reverse solicitation.
The EU entity will also apply stricter token listing standards. According to the company, only assets that meet MiCA’s requirements on whitepapers, liquidity, and disclosures will be made available to European users.
“We are currently conducting a rigorous audit of our inventory,” Stauber said. “Products that do not meet EU standards for market integrity or fail to provide sufficient consumer disclosures will not be offered to EEA users.”
The approach mirrors a broader shift among global crypto firms operating in Europe, where regulators have made clear that legacy listings and offshore product catalogs will not automatically carry over into MiCA-regulated entities.
Broker Model and Market Oversight
Under Stauber’s plan, Bitget EU will operate as a broker rather than a traditional platform. The entity will act as counterparty to client trades while sourcing liquidity from multiple independent providers, applying best-execution principles in line with EU financial market rules.
Stauber said the user interface will remain familiar to existing customers, but the legal structure behind it will differ. Bitget EU will be subject to MiCA requirements, expectations set by the , and national conduct rules across member states.
The company also plans to deploy designed to detect and prevent market abuse, disorderly trading, and other prohibited behaviors. These controls are a core pillar of MiCA’s framework and have become a focal point in license applications across the bloc.
By adopting a broker model, Bitget EU is aligning itself more closely with how European regulators view , particularly where client protection and conflict management are concerned.
Investor Takeaway
Why Vienna Was Chosen as the EU Base
Vienna was selected as Bitget’s European headquarters due to its central location, multilingual workforce, and regulatory environment. Stauber said the city offers a practical base for governance and compliance functions serving the wider EEA.
Austria has emerged as a popular jurisdiction for MiCA applicants viewking a balance between regulatory clarity and operational access to the broader EU market. While approval timelines vary, firms licensed in one member state will be able to passport services across the bloc once authorized.
Existing EEA users on Bitget’s global platform will be invited to transition to Bitget EU later than approval, with services tailored to EU rules. Until then, the company said it will avoid onboarding European users through offshore channels.
What This Means for Europe’s Crypto Market
Bitget’s move highlights how MiCA is reshaping the European crypto landscape. Instead of fragmented national approaches, firms are now being pushed toward centralized compliance, clearer accountability, and stricter product governance.
For platforms, this means higher upfront costs and narrower product menus. For users, it brings stronger protections and clearer legal recourse. For the market as a whole, MiCA is accelerating consolidation around firms willing to invest in long-term regulatory alignment.
As approval decisions begin to emerge in 2026, the structure Bitget is building in Vienna may serve as a reference point for other global platforms weighing how deeply they want to commit to Europe’s .
