European cryptocurrency exchange Bitstamp has gained approval to operate in Spain from the country's central bank, adding it to its growing list of licenses across Europe.

Bitstamp can now offer virtual currency exchange services for fiat currency and electronic wallet custody services to Spanish users, the exchange announced via email Thursday.

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Registration in Spain follows Bitstamp's approval in Italy in July. Founded in 2011, the exchange is also registered to operate in Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

There has been a slew of crypto exchanges expanding their authorized footprint across Europe in recent months, pending the European Union's (EU) markets in crypto assets (MiCA) regulation coming into force. Registration in individual member states should in theory make it easier to operate across the bloc.

Of late, Coinbase won approval in the Netherlands, Crypto.com in Italy, and Luno registered in France.

EU lawmakers were set to vote on MiCA in December, though this has been delayed until February due to the length and complexity of the text.

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