Bull Bitcoin secured a MiCA license in France after a three-year self-financed process, preserving its self-custody and privacy features. The exchange passed PASSI and DORA cybersecurity audits without outsourcing core infrastructure. Founder Francis Pouliot said the company proved compliance is possible without becoming overzealous.
Bull Bitcoin obtained a Markets in Crypto-Assets license in France, founder Francis Pouliot announced June 23, ending a three-year, self-financed regulatory process that preserved the exchange's self-custody and privacy features.
"We have proven that it is possible to meet the highest requirements of regulatory compliance without becoming overzealous," Pouliot, founder of Bull Bitcoin, said in a statement on X.
The Montreal-based company passed PASSI and DORA cybersecurity audits without outsourcing its core Bitcoin infrastructure to third-party hosted providers, Pouliot said. The entire process was funded internally with no external investors or lenders. Bull Bitcoin operates as a non-custodial exchange where users supply their own wallet address before any purchase, with Bitcoin sent directly to the customer's control.
The license provides a long-term regulatory foothold in Europe as the EU's MiCA transitional period expires July 1, after which unauthorized crypto-asset service providers face enforcement actions from the European Securities and Markets Authority. Bull Bitcoin's outcome suggests rigorous compliance is achievable while maintaining direct user custody and privacy tooling, though the company did not explain how it resolved the tension between user privacy expectations and MiCA's requirements.
Bull Bitcoin, founded in 2013 by Pouliot, offers Bitcoin bill payments for rent, utilities and real estate, plus support for Lightning Network, Liquid and Payjoin privacy tools. In October 2025, the company launched BULL Wallet, an open-source mobile app with Payjoin support and no data collection.
The development comes as crypto firms across Europe race to secure MiCA authorization before the July 1 cutoff. Ripple received a preliminary green light from Luxembourg's CSSF on the same day, while Kraken, Coinbase and Bitstamp have already activated services under the framework. Bull Bitcoin's approach differs from most licensed exchanges by maintaining a Bitcoin-only, non-custodial model.
Pouliot said the company's next goal is "global domination and setting a new standard on how to build the infrastructure Bitcoin deserves."
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
