From Hong Kong to Europe: OSL Clears MiCAR in Austria, Joining the Minority of Platforms to Meet Europe's Stringent Crypto Rulebook

OSL Group, one of the first digital asset platforms licensed in Hong Kong and listed on the HKEX, today announced a major regulatory milestone for its European subsidiary has secured MiCAR authorization from the Austrian FMA. Fewer than one in five previously registered firms successfully transitioned to full authorization. OSL Group now operates under the wider ecosystem across two highly comprehensive regulatory frameworks.

VIENNA, 9 July 2026 - OSL Group (HKEX: 863), a global stablecoin payment and trading platform, today announced that its European subsidiary, OSL EU, has been authorized as a Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) by the Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) under the European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR). This authorization grants OSL Group the ability to passport its suite of regulated crypto-asset services across all 30 countries of the European Economic Area, positioning OSL Group one of a very small and elite tier of firms authorized under both Hong Kong's and Europe's licensing regimes.

This milestone lands at the moment MiCAR separates the fully licensed firms from the rest. Of more than 1,200 crypto firms that held national registrations across the EU, only about 210, roughly 17%, converted to full CASP authorization by the regime's 1 July 2026 deadline. The rest have exited or lost the legal right to serve EU clients, and several of the industry's largest names are not among those authorized. Narrowed to trading platforms, the field is smaller still.

"MiCAR is the most demanding test the global crypto industry has faced, and the results are now on the record: fewer than one in five previously registered firms successfully transitioned to full CASP authorization, and some of the largest names in the industry are not on the list," said Chagri Poyraz, Chief Strategy Officer of OSL Group. "Clearing it is not a marketing line. It is evidence that a firm's governance, controls and compliance actually hold up under a regulator's scrutiny, rather than a promise that they would. That is the standard we have built OSL Group around from our Hong Kong base outward, and it is why institutions can read this authorization as a signal, not a slogan."

Global Compliance Footprint: From Hong Kong to Europe

OSL Group's starting point is one of the most tightly regulated crypto markets in the world. The group parent company OSL Group Limited is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and it's subsidiary OSL Digital Securities Limited was among the first virtual-asset platforms licensed by Hong Kong's Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), a regime known for setting a high bar on custody, investor protection and market conduct. Securing MiCAR authorization in Austria extends that same licensed model into Europe and places OSL Group in the rare position of operating under two of the most stringent digital-asset frameworks in existence, one in Asia and one in the EU. For institutions choosing a partner for the long term, that dual standing is the differentiator.

"Europe set the global benchmark for digital-asset regulation, and most of the market did not make it through," said Kevin Cui, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of OSL Group. "Building on our Hong Kong foundation, our recent Australian licence, and our authorizations across Asia and the Americas, this is what long-term, institution-grade infrastructure looks like. As the industry consolidates around the platforms that did the work properly, we intend to be one of the names that lasting trust is built on."

Unlocking the EEA: One authorization, Thirty markets

Under the FMA authorization, OSL EU is empowered to serve institutional and eligible clients across the European Economic Area (EEA) with custody and administration of crypto-assets, spot trading, on and off-ramp and conversion services, and the transfer of crypto-assets. Because MiCAR replaces 27 separate national regimes with one harmonized framework, a single authorization passports across the entire bloc. In practice, this strengthens OSL Group's ability to open European banking relationships, access local payment rails, and win enterprise counterparties who will only work with fully regulated entities.

The European authorization extends one of the broadest multi-jurisdictional footprints in the sector. OSL Group operates under regulated frameworks across Asia, Australia, the United States, Canada and, now, Europe, and the group holds or is pursuing more than 50 trading and payment licences worldwide. The FMA authorization complements the MiCAR licence already held in the Netherlands by EU Internet Ventures B.V, another OSL Group subsidiary, providing the Group with enhanced operational resilience and a robust regulatory foundation across Europe.

"Securing MiCAR authorization from the Austrian FMA is not a formality. It requires genuine institutional-grade governance, compliance infrastructure and operational controls," said Marie Winter, Managing Director of OSL EU. "This authorization confirms that our framework meets

the standard EU regulators set, and it lets OSL Group operate consistently and predictably across the European market from day one."

The Flight to Quality: Leading the Post-Transition European Market

MiCAR is the first fully harmonized crypto framework of its kind, and the 1 July 2026 transition has made it a hard line rather than an aspiration. Regulators have confirmed there is no interim status and no extension. The market that emerges will be more concentrated, more institutional, and anchored by the select number of platforms that hold a licence. This authorization is a deliberate position on the licensed side of that line, consistent with the OSL Group's mission of building compliant infrastructure for stablecoin trading, institutional payments and cross-border value movement, from Hong Kong to Europe and beyond.

Remark:
The legal name of OSL EU is currently still CIGE vierte PGG GmbH. The company is expected to be renamed OSL EU GmbH in the near future, and the corresponding name change process is currently underway.

About OSL Group

Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute, and shall not be construed as, an offer, solicitation, invitation, recommendation, or inducement to buy, sell, subscribe for, or otherwise deal in any digital assets, securities, or financial products. It does not constitute financial, investment, legal, tax, accounting, or other professional advice and should not be relied upon as such. The views, statements, and information contained herein do not necessarily reflect the official positions or commitments of OSL Group or any of its affiliates.

Any descriptions of future products, services, or operational capabilities are for general reference only. The rollout, provision, and participation in any related products or services are subject to operational readiness, applicable terms and conditions, and ongoing compliance with applicable regulatory requirements.
This article may contain forward-looking statements or indicative information. Actual outcomes, operational timelines, and service availability may differ materially from those projected, and OSL Group assumes no obligation to revise or update such forward-looking information.

OSL Group (HKEX: 863) is a global stablecoin payment and trading platform that strives to provide compliant and efficient digital financial infrastructure services globally, empowering enterprises, financial institutions and individuals to seamlessly exchange, pay, trade, and settle between fiat and digital currencies. Grounded in the core values of Open, Secure, and Licensed, it is committed to building a more efficient ecosystem that connects global markets and enables instant, seamless and compliant value movement worldwide. For media inquiries, please contact: media@osl.com

About OSL EU

OSL EU (legal entity: CIGE Vierte PGG GmbH) is the European subsidiary of OSL Group (HKEX: 863), authorized under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR) by the Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA). Under the newly granted authorization, OSL EU will provide custody and administration, spot trading, on/off-ramp and conversion services, and the transfer of crypto-assets to institutional and retail clients across all 30 EEA countries.

This release was published on openPR.