Zerohash Secures EU MiCA License, Strengthening Its Role in Stablecoin Infrastructure

Stablecoin infrastructure firm Zerohash has achieved a major regulatory milestone by securing a license under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), becoming one of the first companies authorized to offer stablecoin services across the bloc.

In a statement released Sunday, Zerohash Europe announced that it received formal approval from the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM), making it a registered crypto-asset service provider (CASP). 

The license allows the firm to provide stablecoin and crypto infrastructure services to banks, fintech startups, and payment processors across all 30 European Economic Area (EEA) countries.

Zerohash Expanding Reach Amid Acquisition Talks

According to the AFM registry, Zerohash can now act as a regulatory-compliant intermediary for organizations interested in tokenized assets, blockchain-based payments, and digital financial products. This makes the company one of the first stablecoin infrastructure providers to operate under MiCA’s new framework.

Founded in 2017, Zerohash offers crypto infrastructure solutions that enable traditional financial institutions to integrate digital assets without handling crypto directly. Its clients include global names such as Morgan Stanley, Franklin Templeton, and Stripe.

The MiCA license approval comes amid reports that Mastercard is in advanced negotiations to acquire Zerohash in a deal valued between $1.5 billion and $2 billion, according to Fortune. The potential acquisition aligns with Mastercard’s growing interest in blockchain and digital currencies.

Mastercard’s Broader Push Into Stablecoins

Mastercard has been steadily expanding its role in the stablecoin payments sector. In August, the company announced a major initiative to allow merchants and payment acquirers in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EEMEA) to settle transactions using stablecoins, specifically Circle’s USDC and Euro Coin (EURC). 

Early adopters of the program include Arab Financial Services and Eazy Financial Services, marking Mastercard’s first stablecoin settlement rollout in the EEMEA region.

In September, Mastercard also partnered with Kazakhstan’s central bank and Solana on a pilot project for a tenge-pegged stablecoin called Evo (KZTE). The initiative, launched under Kazakhstan’s Digital Assets Regulatory Sandbox, involves Intebix Crypto Exchange and Eurasian Bank, signaling Mastercard’s growing engagement in government-backed digital currency initiatives.

With Zerohash’s new MiCA license, Mastercard’s potential acquisition could give it a stronger foothold in regulated stablecoin settlements across Europe, positioning both firms at the center of the continent’s rapidly evolving digital finance ecosystem.