Banks Surge into EU Crypto Market Under MiCA Framework

The European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework has seen a significant increase in banks registering as crypto-asset service providers. By September 16, 2026, around 80 banks had listed under the MiCA register, up from approximately 40 on June 26, 2026.

This growth has pushed the share of banks on the register to about 23%, from roughly 16% in late June 2026. Meanwhile, non-bank providers saw their share fall to around 77%, down from 84%. Germany has been a major contributor to this increase, with regional cooperative lenders and larger financial institutions registering for crypto services.

Deutsche Bank is preparing to offer crypto custody to institutional and corporate clients in Europe and expects MiCA approval for the service in October 2026. Banks have a different route into the MiCA market compared to crypto-native firms, using a notification procedure under Article 60 that allows them to provide crypto-asset services without applying for a separate CASP licence.