ClearBank secures MiCA approval, targets Circle euro, dollar stablecoins for institutional clients

Finance Share Share this article Copy link X icon X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook Email ClearBank secures MiCA approval, targets Circle euro, dollar stablecoins for institutional clients The U.K.- and EU-regulated credit institution gains crypto-asset service provider status and said it will connect clients to regulated stablecoin rails over Circle Mint By Olivier Acuna | Edited by Sheldon Reback Apr 13, 2026, 2:02 p.m. Make preferred on ClearBank becomes first Dutch bank to provide crypto services under MiCA. (Alex Merz/ClearBank Press) What to know : ClearBank Europe said it's the first Dutch credit institution cleared under the EU’s MiCA rules to offer crypto services and plans to offer Circle's euro- and dollar-pegged stablecoins. The approval lets the bank provide digital asset services without a new license, enabling clients to convert between fiat and stablecoins within a regulated clearing environment that could speed cross-border payments. ClearBank will connect to Circle’s Mint platform for access to EURC and USDC as part of a broader strategy to link traditional banking infrastructure with digital asset markets in Europe and the U.K. ClearBank Europe plans to start offering euro- and U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoins after saying it's the first Dutch credit institution cleared to provide crypto services under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) regulation. The bank, which has more than 270 institutional clients, 1.7 million individual customers and more than $13 billion in assets under management, received confirmation from the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) after notifying the regulator of its plans, allowing it to operate as a crypto asset service provider (CASP). That approval allows ClearBank to begin rolling out digital asset services without applying for a new license. Clients will be able to convert between fiat currencies and stablecoins within a regulated banking environment. The setup links traditional clearing systems with blockchain networks, which can reduce settlement times and improve cross-border transfers. ClearBank will connect to Circle Internet’s (CRCL) Mint platform to give its institutional clients access to EURC and USDC, which track the euro and U.S. dollar, respectively. “Becoming a crypto-asset service provider under MiCAR, enables us to bring digital asset capabilities into a regulated clearing environment for the first time, putting us at the forefront of this new era of digital clearing,” said Tristan Kirchner, CEO of ClearBank Europe. The rollout marks the bank’s first step into digital clearing in Europe, the bank said. ClearBank also said the move forms part of a broader strategy to connect banking infrastructure with digital asset markets, including separate efforts in the U.K. through a partnership with Coinbase (COIN). In January, ClearBank chose digital asset infrastructure provider Taurus to support its push into stablecoin-related services, as the clearing bank prepared to expand its payments and digital asset offerings for clients across the U.K. and Europe. That move followed its previous announcement that it would join the Circle Payment Network, which seeks to allow for near-instant global value transfers using blockchain-based rails. Regulation banks Stablecoins More For You Foundry unveils Zcash block explorer as mining pool reaches 30% of hashrate By Francisco Rodrigues | Edited by Shaurya Malwa 1 hour ago The mining pool comes alongside the unveiling of Zcashinfo.com, a block explorer with real-time network and mining data. What to know : Foundry's new Zcash mining pool has reached about 30% of total network hashrate after being announced back in March. The mining pool comes alongside the unveiling of Zcashinfo.com, a block explorer with real-time network and mining data. 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