Is Bithumb MiCA-licensed?
Status checked on 2 August 2026 against the official ESMA register
Bithumb does not hold a verified MiCA CASP licence. Bithumb is registered with South Korea’s KoFIU and uses real-name KRW banking through KB Kookmin Bank. It split into Bithumb Korea and Bithumb A in July 2025 before a planned IPO. KRW trading requires a Korean real-name bank account, so Bithumb does not serve EEA retail customers. It is not on the ESMA CASP register.
Practical effect: Bithumb has no verified CASP authorisation. Check the contracting entity and any separate permissions before you rely on MiCA conduct, safeguarding or complaint rights.
See the tracked MiCA-licensed exchanges, or read what changed on 1 July 2026.
At a glance
- Supervising or reporting authority
- None recorded
- Entity jurisdiction or country context
- South Korea
- EEA MiCA authorisation
- Not authorised in the EEA
- MiCA register route
- No current entry
- Register entry date
- No current entry date
- EEA passporting
- No
- Exchange type
- CEX
- MiCA services
- Not recorded in the current register
Common questions
Can I still use Bithumb from the EU?
MiCA does not itself make account holding illegal. National and product rules can still apply. Since 1 July 2026, an in-scope provider generally needs an Article 63 authorisation or an eligible Article 60 notification route. Bithumb can apply location restrictions or close user accounts.
Is money on Bithumb protected under MiCA?
Bithumb has no verified CASP authorisation. Do not assume that MiCA conduct, safeguarding or EU-regulator complaint rights apply to the service. Verify the contracting entity and any separate permissions.
Is there a MiCA-licensed alternative to Bithumb?
Yes. 51 of the exchanges we track have current MiCA register entries. The licensed list shows each mapped entity, regulator and entry date.
