Italy-based fintech company Conio received a crypto asset service provider license under MiCAR, the European Union’s Crypto Asset Markets Regulation. Thus, the company became one of the last organizations to complete its license throughout the Union before the transition period that will end on June 30, 2026.
MiCAR calendar is getting shorter
The approval given to Conio followed reviews by Italy’s market regulator Consob and the Bank of Italy. Licence; It covers the storage, transfer and presentation of digital assets to investors. The company is backed by Poste Italiane and Banca Generali, which are among Italy’s largest financial institutions. This structure provides direct access to Conio through traditional banking channels.
The MiCAR transition period will end on June 30, 2026. After this date, companies without CASP authorization will not be able to provide crypto services within the European Union. The regulation, which has been fully implemented since December 2024, has established a common system in EU member states, replacing the national frameworks previously in force in different forms.
30 June 2026 is seen as a definitive threshold for companies operating under national transitional regulations.
As of early March 2026, ESMA’s provisional registration list included 169 authorized providers operating in 20 countries. The dominance of banks in the sector is noteworthy. According to April 2026 data, 36 of the 177 licenses issued belonged to banks. This rate corresponds to approximately 20 percent of total authorizations.
How Conio plans to use the license
Conio Chief Executive Christian Miccoli evaluated the license as a strategic step for the integration of digital assets into regulated investment portfolios. Miccoli stated that digital assets are important both in terms of storing value and financial and technological competition, and emphasized that Italy needs strong institutions that can produce innovation.
Christian Miccoli stated that in a strategic field such as digital assets, it is necessary for Italy to rely on strong institutions that can develop innovation.
The company has positioned its licensed activities in three main areas. These include individual investors using Conio’s mobile app, banks and fintech companies looking for white-label crypto solutions, and institutional customers interested in tokenization and digital asset management.
Mini dictionary: White label crypto solution is a model that allows the infrastructure developed by a technology provider to be offered by another institution under its own brand. Tokenization means creating a digital representation of an asset in blockchain-based systems.
It is reported that the most striking area for the company is the white label model. Thanks to this model, Poste Italiane and Banca Generali will be able to offer regulated custody and trading services to their customers without building their own platforms from scratch. The two institutions are not only shareholders but also potential distribution partners.
Banks are gaining momentum in Europe
Conio is not the only company in the licensing race. Singapore-based payment company Triple A received a CASP license from France’s AMF institution in May 2026. The company announced that it is one of the two organizations in France that has both a Payment Institution license and a CASP license. It was stated that the authorization covers 30 countries in the EU and the European Economic Area.
Spain’s major banks have taken similar steps. BBVA has been offering crypto services since July 2025. Openbank, part of Santander, launched services in Germany in September 2025. CaixaBank received its CASP license in April 2026. The picture in Europe shows traditional financial institutions trying to enter the regulated crypto market before the deadline.
