Austria's FMA Issues First MiCA Penalty Against Bitpanda Austria's Financial Market Authority (FMA) has fined Bitpanda €70,000 for violating the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA
Austria's Financial Market Authority (FMA) has fined Bitpanda €70,000 for violating the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), marking the country's first published penalty under the framework. The fine was issued under an expedited procedure and is now final.
According to the FMA, Bitpanda failed to submit a crypto asset white paper at least 20 days before a token was admitted to trading, breaching the notification requirements set out in Article 8 of MiCA. The exchange also published marketing material before the required white paper had been submitted, and a separate advertisement lacked mandatory disclosures and contact information.
The white paper requirement sits at the core of MiCA's disclosure regime. Under the regulation, a white paper must be submitted to the national competent authority before any crypto asset can be offered to the public or admitted to trading. Marketing communications must also be notified to the authority alongside the white paper.
The timing of the penalty is notable. MiCA's transitional period expired on 1 July 2026, and regulators across the EU have signalled that enforcement will follow. The FMA stated that the action marks the start of structured oversight of crypto asset service providers to ensure the uniform application of the framework across the bloc.
The case carries added weight given Bitpanda's regulatory standing. The Vienna-based exchange holds three MiCA licences, having secured approvals from Germany's BaFin, Malta's MFSA and, in April 2025, Austria's own FMA. The FMA was clear that no special treatment was applied despite Bitpanda's licensed status, reinforcing that compliance obligations apply equally to all authorised crypto asset service providers.
The €70,000 fine is modest relative to the maximum sanctions MiCA allows. National regulators can impose fines of up to €15 million or 12.5% of annual turnover, as well as suspend operations or remove firms from EU registers. Even so, the action sends a clear signal that procedural breaches, even by well-established and licensed firms, will not be overlooked.
Sources:Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA): Bitpanda GmbH AuthorisationTradingView: Bitpanda Secures Third MiCA Licence in Austria
