Binance expands into Europe after securing crypto registration in Spain

World’s biggest crypto exchange, Binance, on Friday announced that its Spanish subsidiary, Moon Tech Spain, has been granted registration as a virtual asset services provider (VASP) by the Bank of Spain.

This registration will allow Binance to offer crypto asset exchange and custody services in Spain in compliance with the requirements of its central bank’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CTF) rules.

This registration follows European registrations for Binance’s local entities in France and Italy, and further attests to the robustness of Binance’s AML and CTF controls.

Moon Tech Spain was granted registration by the Bank of Spain on 7 July, having applied for registration on 28 January 2022.

The Bank of Spain oversees and ensures compliance with AML and CTF rules for VASPs offering exchange services for euros or other currencies for crypto assets, as well as custody services for electronic wallets.

The Bank of Spain also verifies compliance of the local entity and its directors with the commercial and professional honorability requirements.

Changpeng Zhao (CZ), founder and chief executive officer of Binance, commented: “Effective regulation is essential for the widespread adoption of cryptocurrencies. We have invested significantly in compliance and introduced AMLD 5 and 6 compliant tools and policies to ensure that our platform remains the safest and most trustworthy in the industry. Moon Tech’s registration in Spain is an acknowledgement of the hard work and commitment of our teams to providing a platform that places user protection above all else.”

Recently, Binance has partnered with footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and Khaby Lame, the Italian Senegalese creator who grew to fame through his viral TikTok videos, to join as a global brand ambassadors.

Quim Giralt, director of Binance Spain, noted: “Following this registration, we will significantly expand our team and operations in Spain to make our services more accessible to everyone. Over the coming years we will be hiring local talent to serve the Spanish-speaking market and helping to grow the local crypto ecosystem.”