Lightspark Payments Europe
Lightspark Payments Europe AS (ex-Striga Technology OÜ) · EE · 13 countries served
Lightspark Payments Europe AS (ex-Striga Technology OÜ) is the first standalone MiCA CASP + EMI simultaneously authorised company in Estonia (EFSA, 2026-06-19). 100% subsidiary of Lightspark Group, Inc. (US, Delaware), led by David Marcus (ex-PayPal president, ex-Meta Libra/Diem). B2B crypto-banking infrastructure: API custody, virtual IBANs, card issuance, fiat-crypto on/off ramps. Striga history: founded 2018 in Tallinn (Prashanth Balasubramanian), first Estonian VASP after 2022 AML reform (FVT000546). On 2025-10-14 Lightspark acquired with $200M+ processed volume.
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Fees
| Spot maker | N/A (B2B / OTC only) |
| Spot taker | N/A (B2B / OTC only) |
| SEPA deposit | Free |
| Card deposit | N/A (B2B / OTC only) |
| SEPA withdrawal | N/A (B2B / OTC only) |
* This platform is exclusively for B2B, corporate, and institutional clients (fintech, enterprise). It does not provide a public retail trading interface.
Features
- ✓SEPA transfers
- −Bank ID support
- −Mobile app
- ✓Two-factor authentication
- ✓Cold storage custody
- −Proof of Reserves
- −Derivatives (futures/perp)
- ✓20+ crypto trading pairs
Supported fiat currencies: EUR, USD, GBP
Pros
- ✓**First standalone MiCA CASP + EMI** simultaneous authorisation in Estonia (EFSA, 2026-06-19)
- ✓Lightspark Group backing: $175M Series A from a16z+Coatue+Felix Capital, ~$1B valuation
- ✓CEO David Marcus - ex-PayPal president, ex-Meta crypto/Libra/Diem lead
- ✓Bitcoin Lightning Network + UMA (Universal Money Address) technology
- ✓B2B API custody + virtual IBANs + card issuance in one stack
- ✓EU passport in 30 EEA countries (450M people market)
- ✓Key partners: Coinbase (108M), Nubank (100M+), Xapo Bank (42+ countries)
- ✓Striga processed >$200M in volume before acquisition
Cons
- ✗**NOT a retail exchange** - B2B/institutional infrastructure
- ✗No public fee schedule (B2B individual contracts)
- ✗No mobile app (API-first)
- ✗Mostly English - no LV/LT/EE/Finnish UI
- ✗No derivatives
- ✗New post-acquisition integration - operational adjustments possible