Is crypto legal in the Netherlands?

Yes, crypto is legal in the Netherlands. Individuals can buy, hold, trade and sell bitcoin and other crypto, while companies that offer crypto services to Dutch customers must be authorised under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation (MiCA). The euro remains the only legal tender.

What are the Netherlands' crypto laws?

From 2020, firms that exchanged crypto for money or held customers' crypto had to register with DNB, the Dutch central bank. Law firm Houthoff notes that DNB's review was close to a licensing process, checking anti-money laundering policies, customer checks and management. That registration did not give a European passport.

MiCA replaced this system on December 30, 2024. The AFM is now the licensing authority, and a DNB registration could not simply be converted into a licence. The Netherlands gave registered firms only six months to get authorised, so its transition ended on June 30, 2025, a year before the EU-wide deadline. Our guide to MiCA covers the EU rules.

Is bitcoin legal in the Netherlands?

Yes. There is no ban on owning or using bitcoin. Crypto is taxed as part of your wealth rather than on each sale, as explained in how crypto is taxed in the Netherlands.

Which crypto exchange is legal in the Netherlands?

An exchange may serve Dutch customers if it is listed in the AFM's crypto register. The register includes firms licensed by the AFM and firms authorised in another EU country that have notified their services to the Netherlands. The AFM says a firm missing from the register may be exempt, still under review, or operating illegally, so the register is the place to check a specific platform. Cryptoweek does not rank exchanges.

Is Binance legal in the Netherlands?

Using crypto is legal, but Binance itself has not been able to serve Dutch customers for years. In June 2023, Binance told Dutch users it was leaving the country after failing to obtain the registration it needed, and stopped accepting new Dutch users. Trading and deposits ended in July 2023, leaving only withdrawals, Blockworks reported.

Binance's EU-wide plans then hit the MiCA deadline. It withdrew its application in Greece and did not obtain MiCA authorisation before the June 30, 2026 cut-off, Euronews reported, so it cannot passport into the Netherlands from another EU country under MiCA as of that date. Our guide on why Binance is banned in some countries has more background.

Rules differ by country and change often. Check the regulator or a qualified professional for your own situation.