The regulatory standoff follows a 15-month licensing process that concluded on October 6, when BaFin determined that futurum bank’s operational readiness did not meet the requirements of the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets framework. While the company maintains that it disagrees with the regulator’s assessment, the decision effectively ended the firm’s ability to provide crypto services under its previous temporary authorization. CEO Moritz Eckert characterized the outcome as a significant setback, though the company is currently weighing a formal objection against the decision or a future re-application.
To restore services, the firm is shifting toward a model involving regulated German partners to handle trading and custody. This strategy mirrors setups used by other European crypto entities to maintain market access. Bitcoin Group expects to finalize these partnerships and relaunch its overhauled platform—which boasts new features like staking and savings plans—within the coming weeks. Until a transfer to a new custodian is completed, customer assets remain held by futurum bank.
The prolonged suspension has taken a heavy toll on the group’s bottom line. First-half revenue for 2026 dropped to €1.59 million from €3.78 million in the previous year, while EBITDA losses widened significantly to €3.25 million. With full-year revenue expected to decline, the company faces mounting pressure to stabilize its operations in an increasingly competitive German market, which currently hosts dozens of fully authorized crypto service providers.
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