Januar lands MiCA licence, raises €1.08M to merge banking and stablecoins
What's the deal? Copenhagen-based JanuarDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has secured a Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) licence under the EU’s MiCA framework from Danish regulator Finanstilsynet.
The startup also raised €1.08 million, led by Borderless CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and Likeminded, with existing investor CMT DigitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → joining.
Januar can now offer fiat payments and stablecoin services across the European Economic Area (EEA) under one regulatory framework.
Why now? Januar has provided payment services to crypto and fintech firms under a PSD2 licence since 2021, offering fiat accounts, IBANs, and SEPA payments.
The CASP authorisation adds crypto-asset services — trading, custody, and stablecoin infrastructure — on the same pan-European platform.
MiCA, the EU’s first comprehensive framework for stablecoins, crypto trading, and custody, entered full force for CASP services at the end of 2024. National authorisation grants access to the entire EU market through passporting rules.
“This CASP licence allows us to double down on stablecoin-powered payments while offering business-critical services to companies that work with crypto assets on a daily basis,” said founder and chief strategy officer Simon OusagerDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.
What could go wrong? Januar describes its model as a bridge between SEPA and continuous, stablecoin-based settlement.
That bet depends on demand for regulated crypto infrastructure holding up — and on competitors not securing the same dual-licence advantage. The €1.08 million round is also modest for a company aiming to scale across the EEA.
The signal: By dual-stacking a PSD2 payment licence with a MiCA CASP authorisation, early-stage Januar is betting that regulatory clearance — not capital — is the scarce resource in EEA crypto infrastructure. The backing of web3-focused fund Borderless Capital alongside Likeminded reflects investor conviction that the operators bridging traditional banking and stablecoin settlement will be defined by compliance, even on a modest €1.08 million round.
Read more: Kaupr
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
