Key Notes
- Bitget has hired a former Bitpanda CLO to lead its EU operations.
- The exchange is yet to receive a MiCA license from Austria.
- KuCoin recently appointed Sabina Liu to manage KuCoin EU as exchanges plot MiCA compliance.
Former Bitpanda Chief Legal Officer Oliver Stauber is the new CEO of Bitget EU. He was recently appointed by the cryptocurrency exchange, which is preparing to receive its Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) regulatory approval from Austria in the second quarter of 2026.
Bitget Awaits MiCA License from Austria
As MiCA’s July 1st deadline approaches, many crypto firms in the European Union have made an effort to submit their application for the licence.
According to the report, Bitget applied for a MiCA license in Austria in 2025 with plans to set up its new European headquarters in Vienna. It is yet to secure approval, and until then, it cannot offer services in the European Economic Area (EEA). However, the firm has brought in Oliver Stauber to serve as the CEO of its EU operations. Stauber was the former KuCoin EU head and Bitpanda’s CLO.
Gracy Chen, CEO at Bitget, noted that the appointment of Stauber is a confidence boost in Bitget’s long-term presence in Europe. She is certain that he has the experience, “regulatory fluency and operational discipline needed” to kick off the exchange’s EU headquarters in Austria. Stauber has promised to only list tokens that align with the standard of MiCA.
KuCoin Appoints Ex-LSEG Executive to Lead EU Operations
In a similar move, KuCoin recently appointed Sabina Liu, a former London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) executive, to head its EU offshoot.
She will serve as managing director in the Vienna office. Liu had spent over ten years at the LSEG working with global investment banks and cross-border trading clients before moving to KuCoin.
She was also in charge of running the exchange’s institutional business. The Seychelles-based crypto exchange received a MiCAR license from Austrian authorities last November.
The frequency of these appointments and the effort towards securing a MiCA license suggest that crypto firms support the terms of the regulation. Upon her appointment, Liu attested that MiCAR presents KuCoin with a unified regulatory framework. Precisely, KuCoin gets to serve in a region with mature and diverse finance.
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Benjamin Godfrey is a blockchain enthusiast and journalist who relishes writing about the real life applications of blockchain technology and innovations to drive general acceptance and worldwide integration of the emerging technology. His desire to educate people about cryptocurrencies inspires his contributions to renowned blockchain media and sites.
