Alchemy Pay is navigating Europe’s new MiCA regime by locking down an exclusive partnership with the licensed ZBX Group. The move provides the regulatory clarity needed to deploy its fiat gateway crypto users across the continent, sidestepping a major industry hurdle.
Summary
- Alchemy Pay secured EU market access through an exclusive partnership with MiCA-licensed ZBX Group.
- The deal establishes a “dual-engine” framework for compliant fiat-crypto ramps across Europe.
- The move builds on Alchemy Pay’s recent Hong Kong expansion via licensed HTF Securities.
According to a press release dated Oct. 2, Alchemy Pay has taken a strategic stake in Malta-based ZBX Group and formed an exclusive cooperation, creating what the companies term a “dual-engine” framework.
Founded in 2018, ZBX is one of the few firms to secure authorization from the Malta Financial Services Authority to operate as a crypto asset service provider under the EU’s MiCA regime, giving Alchemy Pay a direct channel to operate within Europe’s new compliance-driven environment.
You might also like: Coinbase tests USDC aid delivery for low-income New Yorkers — will it work?
Why the ZBX deal matters for Alchemy Pay
Since the MiCA framework began issuing approvals in January 2025, only a select group of industry heavyweights including Circle, Robinhood, OKX, and Bybit have successfully navigated the rigorous process.
By aligning with ZBX, Alchemy Pay isn’t just gaining a partner; it’s integrating directly into a top-tier compliance ecosystem that remains out of reach for most of the market. This immediate access to a licensed entity is what the companies describe as a “more robust and efficient pathway” for sustained operations in the region.
Together, the two firms intend to build fully compliant on- and off-ramp services that integrate Visa, Mastercard, and regional banking channels. They also signaled that the partnership may evolve into formal equity participation and joint governance, pending necessary approvals, further deepening their alignment.
The European play also builds on Alchemy Pay’s recent momentum in Asia. Just weeks earlier, the company invested in Hong Kong-based HTF Securities, a licensed firm regulated by the Securities and Futures Commission.
That deal gave Alchemy Pay exposure to the prized Type 1, 4, and 9 licenses that form the backbone of securities trading, advisory, and asset management in the city. Notably, those licenses can be extended to cover virtual asset activities, putting Alchemy Pay in position to scale its compliance-first model across two of the world’s most closely watched jurisdictions.
Read more: Bitcoin or Ethereum? OKX’s Hong Fang weighs institutional divide