XION Inaugurates the First Bybit EU Launchpool: A Strategic Alliance Under MiCA

August 14, 2025 marks a historic milestone for the European crypto ecosystem: XION officially becomes the first Launchpool project on the Bybit EU platform, newly licensed under MiCA. This strategic alliance perfectly illustrates the growing maturity of the blockchain sector in a strict regulatory environment.

A partnership that redefines regulated access to Web3

Bybit, under the Bybit EU banner, launched its regulated crypto platform in Europe under MiCA, highlighting their ambitions in the unified European digital asset market. This initiative is part of a broader European expansion strategy for Bybit, which obtained its MiCA license in Austria in May 2025.

XION, a consumer-oriented walletless Layer-1 blockchain, thus gains access to a potential market of over 450 million users across 29 countries in the European Economic Area. This collaboration goes beyond a simple listing to align with a shared vision of blockchain democratization.

Anthony Anzalone, founder of XION, highlights the strategic importance of this first: “Being the very first Launchpool on Bybit EU is a major signal of our deep partnership with Bybit and our shared focus on compliant expansion in European markets.“

MiCA as an innovation catalyst rather than a brake

XION was the first Layer 1 blockchain to publish a MiCA-compliant whitepaper, aligning with European regulations for crypto assets. This early compliance positions XION as a pioneer in European regulation, well before MiCA’s full implementation.

Mazurka Zheng, CEO of Bybit EU, confirms this vision: “Our recent acquisition of the MiCA license in Austria represents our commitment and major focus in 2025 to deliver compliant and innovative crypto services to European users.“

This compliance has already led to significant changes for users, with the progressive withdrawal of Tether (USDT) in Europe by several exchanges to comply with MiCA. Bybit EU now favors MiCA-compliant stablecoins such as USDQ, EURQ, and EURD.

The XION ecosystem: beyond a simple blockchain

XION stands out with its revolutionary “walletless” approach, removing traditional Web3 frictions. XION is the first Layer-1 blockchain to integrate USDC across the entire infrastructure stack, enabling true mass adoption.

Support from Circle Ventures, one of the few institutional investors of this scale to bet on a Layer-1 project, attests to XION’s technical credibility. More than 100 global brands already use its platform to deploy mainstream blockchain experiences.

Bybit EU: an ambitious expansion strategy

The acquisition of the CASP (Crypto-Asset Service Provider) license under MiCA allows Bybit EU to offer a full range of regulated services:

• Custody and administration of crypto-assets
• Exchange of crypto-assets for fiat funds
• Inter-crypto-asset exchange
• Placement services
• Crypto-asset transfer services

This license covers the entire European Economic Area except Malta, offering unprecedented regulatory coverage for an exchange of this scale.

A technical and regulatory precedent

This collaboration builds on the success of the first XION Launchpool on Bybit Global in December 2024, where users could stake XION, MNT, or USDT to earn a share of 1,000,000 XION. 

The European version adapts this model to MiCA regulatory constraints with a total allocation of 100,000 XION strategically distributed as follows:

• 50,000 XION for stakers holding XION (60% APR),
• 30,000 XION for MNT stakers (36% APR),
• 20,000 XION for participants using USDC (24% APR). 

This incentive structure favors native holding of the XION token while allowing European users to access the project via MiCA-compliant assets like USDC.

The timing is no coincidence: while Bybit is temporarily adjusting its operations in the EEA to comply with MiCA regulations, the launch of this collaboration demonstrates the crypto sector’s ability to transform regulatory constraints into innovation opportunities.

Implications for the European crypto ecosystem

This historic first establishes a new standard for crypto collaborations in Europe. It demonstrates that technological innovation and regulatory compliance can coexist within a strict MiCA framework.

For XION, this European exposure strengthens its position as a “consumer-first” blockchain by directly reaching the most mature and regulated markets. Validation by Bybit EU, a major sector player, legitimizes XION’s technical approach to mainstream users.

On Bybit EU’s side, this inaugural partnership clearly signals its European ambitions while testing regulated market appetite for blockchain innovations. The selection of XION as a pilot project reveals a strategy oriented towards mainstream adoption rather than pure speculation.

Future outlook: towards a new European crypto era

This XION x Bybit EU alliance could catalyze a wave of similar launches on MiCA-compliant European platforms. It establishes a replicable model for other blockchain projects seeking to enter the European market within a strict regulatory framework.

Europe is gradually becoming the global laboratory for crypto regulation, with MiCA as the international reference. Successes of collaborations like this will likely influence regulatory approaches in other jurisdictions. For European investors, this evolution marks the entry into a new era where innovation and consumer protection combine under regulatory supervision. A delicate balance, but necessary for the maturation of the crypto sector.

La Rédaction C.

The Cointribune editorial team unites its voices to address topics related to cryptocurrencies, investment, the metaverse, and NFTs, while striving to answer your questions as best as possible.