The Dutch National Bank (DNB), in a move so subtle it could be mistaken for a thud, has imposed a rather pungent fine of $2.6 million (€2.25 million) upon OKX for offering cryptocurrency services without bothering to register. One might say, the exchange was playing hide and seek – but the regulators found them first!
This hefty penalty covers the period from July 2023 to August 2024 – a time when, technically speaking, the EU’s Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) framework was still filing its nails and not yet in force. Ah, the sweet smell of regulatory patience! Or perhaps frustration.
Unregistered Before MiCA Came to Town
The Bank confirmed that Aux Cayes Fintech Co., better known as OKX, was all kinds of naughty for not registering during their crypto exploits in the Netherlands – a particularly meticulous sort of oversight, if you ask me. The fine targets activities from before MiCA was even a glint in the regulators’ eye, and it’s part of their ongoing effort to keep the crypto marketplace a little less like the Wild West and a tad more like a Sunday school picnic. These measures are part of the country’s anti-money laundering fashion show (Wwft). Glamorous, isn’t it?
Since 2020, the Netherlands has insisted that crypto exchanges get their paperwork in order, with quite an impressive list of fines handed out. Crypto.com was the belle of the ball with a $3.31 million (€2.85 million) slap on the wrist, while Kraken – looking rather like a majestic beast – was obliged to pay a hefty $4.66 million (€4 million). All of this, in the spirits of making sure everyone’s digital piggy bank isn’t a pig in a poke.
An OKX spokesperson, ever so cheerful, declared that the fine was merely a relic of old registration woes that have now been sorted out faster than you can say “legislation.” Dutch users, fear not, as they’ve already been transferred to a European entity fully licensed under MiCA. The company also noted that no customer assets were harmed in the making of this fine – always a relief, much like discovering your butler was secretly a spy.
Furthermore, the fine was a bit lighter than usual because OKX took prompt steps to tidy up their registration paperwork, making it the lowest fine DNB has handed out to a “significant” exchange – which is, frankly, a polite way of saying, “well done.”
This costly episode merely underscores the relentless gaze of European regulators upon crypto firms. With MiCA gradually weaving a web of rules across the continent, exchanges better keep their ducks in a row, lest they want to receive yet another charming little bill and a stern look from the authorities. As the saying goes, “Better to have regulators poke fun at you than to have them poke you with a stick.”
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2025-09-03 18:11