Cryptocurrency exchange OKX is advancing its regulatory compliance in Europe after securing a license aimed at enhancing its stablecoin payment infrastructure.
The company informed Cointelegraph on Monday that it has been awarded a Payment Institution (PI) license in Malta. This authorization, issued under the EU’s payments framework, is intended to ensure that the exchange’s payment products meet the compliance standards set by the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) and the Second Payment Services Directive (PSD2).
Within the current regulatory environment, crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) that offer payment services involving stablecoins are required to hold either a PI or an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) authorization. The acquisition of this PI license builds on OKX’s previous regulatory success, coming more than a year after it secured a MiCA license from the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) in January 2025.
Data from the MFSA confirms that the PI license was issued on Feb. 11 and is now designated as a Financial Institution license on the OKX website. The license permits the exchange to provide a complete array of payment services across the European Union, which includes allowing users to make cash deposits and withdrawals from payment accounts and to carry out all functions necessary for account upkeep.
