BaFin Issues Warnings on Unauthorized Crypto-Asset Services

The German regulator BaFin has issued twelve consumer notices between September 2 and September 11, 2026, warning of unauthorized business in the crypto-asset sector. Five of these notices explicitly name crypto-asset services, with three of them citing alleged identity misuse.

A total of seven notices concern classic financial and securities services, while five pertain to crypto-assets. BaFin warns that providing such services without authorization is a serious issue, with the regulator noting that an authorisation for investment broking does not cover crypto trading.

The regulator advises consumers to check if a company is authorized to operate in Germany by searching the company database on the BaFin website. This can be done in just three minutes, and it's recommended that anyone active in the market treats this as routine rather than an exception for suspicious cases.