Belgium Watchdog Warns Against 6 Unlicensed Crypto Firms After MiCA Licensing Takes Effect

Belgium’s financial regulator has identified six unlicensed crypto-asset service providers and urged consumers to exercise caution, shortly after mandatory licensing under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets, or MiCA, framework took effect.

Cointelegraph reported on July 7 that Belgium’s Financial Services and Markets Authority named Aurum Foundation, Bankbit, BitHF Pro, DZago, Global Dynamic Trade and ZeriaFunding as crypto-asset service providers operating in Belgium without authorization under MiCA. The FSMA added the firms to its list of fraudulent operators.

The regulator advised consumers not to use the companies’ services and to verify a provider’s authorization status through the official CASP register.

The action came just after the EU transition period ended on July 1. MiCA took effect at the end of 2024, establishing a unified regulatory framework for crypto-asset service providers and virtual-asset issuers across the bloc. Existing operators were required to obtain authorization by that date or stop providing services.