Austria’s regulator slaps new business ban on KuCoin’s EU exchange

Regulator action and background

The Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) has prohibited KuCoin EU Exchange from conducting new business, citing significant gaps in anti-money laundering (AML) and sanctions compliance roles.

Key compliance deficiencies

The regulator identified a lack of key compliance staff, particularly in AML and terrorist financing compliance functions, which are critical under Europe’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA).

Timeline and context

• The ban was implemented on February 23, 2026, months after KuCoin EU was granted a MiCA license.
• The move comes as a surprise, given the exchange’s recent regulatory approval under MiCA.
• The FMA has ordered KuCoin EU to halt all new customer onboarding and product launches effective immediately.

Related developments

Following the ban, KuCoin EU has reportedly hired a new AML chief to address the compliance shortfall, indicating a response to the regulatory action.

來源：https://cointelegraph.com/news/austria-regulator-slaps-new-business-ban-kucoin-eu