Confirmo wins Irish approval for stablecoin payments

Confirmo has received authorisation from the Central Bank of Ireland for its Irish unit as a Payment Institution, adding to the group's existing MiCA authorisation for crypto-asset services in Europe.

Confirmo Limited can now execute payment transactions under the Payment Services Regulations 2018 while operating as a Crypto-Asset Service Provider under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets framework. Together, the approvals give the Irish entity dual regulatory status for stablecoin payments and related crypto services.

The approval comes as the EU approaches the end of MiCA's transitional grandfathering period on 1 July 2026. After that date, crypto payment providers operating in Europe without full regulatory authorisation will have to stop those activities, the company said.

The deadline has increased scrutiny of stablecoin payment providers and the businesses that use them for cross-border transactions, treasury operations and other payment flows. Companies relying on providers that have not secured the necessary permissions may need to review their arrangements before the transition ends.

Confirmo's Irish operation will serve as the regulated hub for its European business. Under EEA passporting rules, authorisation from the Central Bank of Ireland can allow a firm to offer services across all 27 EU member states, subject to the applicable framework.

The company focuses on stablecoin-based payments for businesses. Its platform supports sending, receiving, and settling payments in major stablecoins across blockchain networks, as well as fiat conversion and reporting tools for finance teams.

Regulatory shift

The new approval reflects a broader shift in the European digital asset market as firms move from transitional arrangements to permanent licensing. MiCA has introduced a common rulebook across the bloc for crypto-asset services, while payment activities may also require separate authorisation under existing payments legislation.

For firms involved in stablecoin payments, compliance may no longer rest on a single licence. Providers that combine digital asset infrastructure with payment execution may need permissions covering both activities, depending on how their services are structured.

Confirmo said the combination places it among the most comprehensively licensed stablecoin payment providers in Europe. The company has operated in crypto payments for more than a decade and serves sectors including eCommerce, payroll, foreign exchange and proprietary trading.

"Confirmo has spent more than 12 years building crypto payment infrastructure, and our dual authorisation by the Central Bank of Ireland marks the next chapter in that journey. We are now a fully regulated European platform purpose-built for enterprise-scale stablecoin payments. This comes at a key moment, as 1 July 2026 will separate the market into two groups: providers that are fully licensed and those that aren't. The window for businesses to ensure their payment rails are fully compliant is narrowing fast, and we built Confirmo to be the partner that businesses can depend on when it matters most," Anna Štrébl, Chief Executive Officer of Confirmo Group, said.

Market pressure

Stablecoins are becoming a larger part of business payments because they can move across blockchain networks more quickly than some traditional cross-border methods while remaining linked to fiat currencies. Supporters say that the combination can make them useful for settlement and treasury management, particularly for companies operating across multiple jurisdictions.

European regulators have also tightened oversight of that activity. The focus has shifted from experimentation to supervision, with greater attention on licensing, safeguarding, market conduct and the legal basis on which firms process client transactions.

The Central Bank of Ireland has emerged as one of the national authorities overseeing firms seeking to operate under MiCA and related payments rules. For companies choosing Ireland as a base for European operations, authorisation there can provide access to the wider EU market.

"We welcome the Central Bank of Ireland's leadership in building a clear and robust regulatory framework for digital finance. Stablecoins combine the relative stability of traditional currencies with the speed and security of blockchain networks, and as the MiCA compliance deadline approaches, having the right regulatory foundations in place is becoming increasingly critical. With our Irish entity now authorised under both MiCA and PSR, businesses across Europe can access that infrastructure and process payments with regulatory certainty and confidence that they are building on future-proofed foundations," Derek Corcoran, Chief Executive Officer of Confirmo Limited, said.