Another global crypto exchange is edging closer to operationalising its MiFID license. Having acquired CFD broker Sheer Markets in 2024, Gate.io announced in January 2026 that the entity had been rebranded as Gate Securities (Cyprus) Ltd.
“This marks a significant step forward, reinforcing our commitment to regulatory compliance while supporting the expansion of the Gate Group brand across global financial markets,” the rebranded entity’s Executive Director and CEO, Wasim Zayed, said on LinkedIn.
Derivatives Have Been a Growth Engine for Gate
The timing is hardly accidental. By mid-2025, Gate’s global user base had surpassed 30 million and closed the year with nearly 50 million, with derivatives trading emerging as a key growth driver.
The platform’s futures market share had climbed into double-digit territory, reaching 10.6%, making it one of the fastest-growing venues in global crypto derivatives.
The broader group has also been busy reshaping its corporate structure. Gate Technology Ltd rebranded to Gate.io in 2024 as part of a push to strengthen its European presence, where the firm has been active since 2022.
Multi-Asset Expansion Is the Name of the Game
Multi-asset expansion has become the playbook in the CFD world; it is little surprise that crypto exchanges are now following a similar path.
The pairing of a MiCA licence with MiFID permissions is fast becoming standard practice among large platforms seeking to deepen their European footprint.
MiCA provides the regulatory scaffolding for spot trading and custody, while MiFID opens the door to derivatives and brokerage-style services.
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Crypto.com, Backpack Exchange and Coinbase have all secured MiFID footholds in Cyprus, while others, like Gemini, have sought MiFID pipelines elsewhere.
Kraken, for its part, has recently embarked on a Cyprus hiring blitz, advertising roughly 50 island-linked roles in the past fortnight following its 2025 acquisition of CFD broker Greenfields Wealth.
Vacancies such as the Regulatory MiFID Officer appear consistent with building out its MiFID-licensed business, even as many of the engineering roles likely support Kraken’s broader platform.
The convergence is also running in reverse. As crypto-native firms push deeper into derivatives, traditional CFD brokers are moving further into spot crypto.
eToro was an early – if then unusual – mover back in 2013. More recently, IG Group and Pepperstone have entered the spot crypto market, while Capital.com and XTB are preparing to follow.
CMC Markets has likewise signalled ambitions that extend into decentralised finance.
According to Pepperstone’s Group CEO Tamas Szabo, part of the rationale is straightforward: “Internal and external research has shown that CFD traders are heavy crypto investors."
