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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The exchange in the headline is Bitstamp, founded in Slovenia in 2011. Its later move to Luxembourg was driven, according to a 2022 account of the company’s decision, by the country’s willingness to engage with crypto businesses, an opportunity to work with authorities on licensing, and an international workforce with financial-services experience. “Oldest” needs a date: a 2022 Computer Weekly feature called Bitstamp the oldest cryptocurrency exchange still in business at that time; that is not a verified current ranking.
Why did Bitstamp choose Luxembourg?
Bitstamp’s origin is Slovenian; Luxembourg became its later business base. In a 2022 Computer Weekly feature, then-CEO Jean-Baptiste Graftieaux described Luxembourg as the European country most willing to endorse crypto innovation when Bitstamp was looking for a place to do business. He also called it “a small country, but very international and very connected.” These are the company’s reported views about its decision, not an independent finding that Luxembourg is the best location for every crypto firm.
The account points to three practical considerations: early engagement with local authorities, the ability to work toward a licensing path, and access to people familiar with international financial services. The feature was published on 10 November 2022 and describes a pre-MiCA regulatory environment; its observations about licensing and cross-border business should not be read as a description of today’s EU framework. Read the 2022 Computer Weekly feature.
What did Luxembourg authorize in 2016?
On 19 April 2016, the Luxembourg Minister of Finance authorized Bitstamp Europe S.A. as a payment institution, according to the CSSF’s 2016 annual report. The report describes the relevant service as receiving funds from a buyer and transferring them to a seller. This was authorization for an intermediary payment service—not a blanket authorization of cryptocurrency or every activity an exchange might conduct.
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The distinction matters: a payment-institution authorization and a crypto-asset service provider (CASP) authorization are different regulatory categories. The historical payment authorization is documented in the CSSF’s 2016 annual report.
How has the EU framework changed?
The Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) established a harmonized EU framework for crypto-asset service providers. The CSSF says the regime became applicable to CASPs on 30 December 2024. The CSSF’s July 2026 consumer notice says the transition period for virtual asset service providers ended on 1 July 2026. The earlier account of licensing challenges therefore belongs to the pre-MiCA period, not the current framework.
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A secondary report published in May 2025 said Bitstamp obtained a Luxembourg CASP license. The official CSSF material cited here establishes the regulatory dates and tells consumers how to check providers, but it does not confirm Bitstamp’s current register entry, the relevant legal entity, or the precise services covered. For those details, check Bitstamp’s legal notices and the current ESMA register rather than assuming that the 2016 payment authorization answers the question.
The CSSF’s current overview explains MiCA’s scope and timing: Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA/MiCAR). Its consumer notice explains the end of the transition period and recommends checking authorization information: MiCA transition period ended on 1 July 2026.
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- Smart backup: Use your second Tangem Wallet as your Backup keys with end‑to‑end encryption; no more papers, pictures. If one card is lost, the remaining can still restore full access, with an optional seed phrase available for advanced users.
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What the Luxembourg story does—and does not—tell customers
Bitstamp’s Luxembourg history helps explain how the company sought a foothold in Europe and why it valued the local regulatory and business environment. It does not, by itself, establish which Bitstamp entity serves a particular customer, which services that entity may provide now, or what protections apply to a specific account. Those answers depend on current legal disclosures and official authorization records.
For consumers, the useful distinction is between a company’s historical location rationale and its present regulatory status. Verify the provider and services in the relevant official register, and read the legal notice that applies to your country before opening or using an account.
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