Who we are
BTC Direct was founded in 2013 in the Netherlands. That makes us one of the oldest and most experienced crypto companies in Europe. Our team has grown from a handful of crypto enthusiasts into a group of 40+ professionals, from compliance and customer service to engineering and security.
What connects us is a shared mission: making bitcoin and other crypto accessible to everyone in Europe, securely, simply and on terms you can trust.
Our milestones
Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
2013 | BTC Direct founded in the Netherlands. |
2018 | One of the first companies in the Netherlands to pay employees (partly) in bitcoin. |
2020 | Series A funding round for further EU expansion. |
2022 | Registration with De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) under the AMLD5 regime. |
2024 | MiCA readiness programme completed in preparation for EU-wide crypto regulation. |
2025 | MiCA licence obtained. |
Why we do what we do
The 2008 financial crisis exposed the limitations of the existing monetary system. That same year, an unknown developer under the name Satoshi Nakamoto published the Bitcoin whitepaper, describing a monetary system that is open, decentralised and transparent.
We believe in that vision. We think crypto is the most tangible way to turn that vision into reality, and that adoption will only happen when buying and using crypto becomes just as natural as everything else online. That is the role we have chosen for ourselves: lowering the barrier so that more people can own and use bitcoin without first having to become an expert.
How we work
Three principles guide everything we do:
Principle | Wat dat in de praktijk betekent |
|---|---|
Transparency | Clear price for every order, no hidden spreads, full transaction details on request. |
Compliance | Licensed by the Autoriteit Financiële Markten (AFM) under MiCA. We comply with EU AML, sanctions and the Travel Rule. |
Self-custody friendly | We make it easy to send your crypto to your own wallet, your keys, your coins. |
The story behind our logo
Roughly 2,000 kilometres north of Australia lies the small island of Yap. When Western explorers arrived in the early twentieth century, they discovered something surprising: instead of barter, the islanders used a clever and ancient monetary system called Rai, large round stones that served as a collective ledger.
For around 1,500 years, the Yapese kept track of who owned which stone in a shared, public memory. In essence: the world's first blockchain. We honour Rai by incorporating the stone into our logo.
Licensed and compliant
BTC Direct is MiCA-licensed via the Autoriteit Financiële Markten (AFM) under registration number 41000009. We comply with EU rules on anti-money laundering, sanctions and the Travel Rule. Our payment partners comply with the same regulations.
Frequently asked questions
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