Aave Labs, a major player in decentralized finance (DeFi), has become one of the first DeFi-native protocols to secure authorization under the European Union’s comprehensive Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework.
The approval, granted by the Central Bank of Ireland to its subsidiary, Push Virtual Assets Ireland Limited, clears the way for Aave Labs to launch regulated fiat on- and off-ramps for stablecoins across the entire European Economic Area (EEA).
The authorization specifically allows Aave Labs’ fiat-to-crypto service, Push, to facilitate conversions between the euro (€) and digital assets, including the protocol’s native over-collateralized stablecoin, GHO.
The move is strategically aimed at mainstream users, providing a compliant, predictable, and regulated path to access the decentralized economy. Aave Labs stated that this compliant payment infrastructure is essential for reducing reliance on centralized exchanges (CEXs), which have long been considered a key onboarding hurdle in the DeFi ecosystem.
To drive adoption, the Push service will launch with zero conversion fees for euro on- and off-ramps, positioning it as a highly competitive alternative to fintech companies and centralized exchanges that typically charge significant spreads or processing fees. Aave Labs, however, has not clarified if this zero-fee structure is a permanent model or an introductory incentive.
The approval reinforces Ireland’s growing status as a regulatory hub for compliant crypto operations in Europe. This follows crypto exchange Kraken, which also secured MiCA authorization in the country earlier this year on June 25.
The milestone arrives as the global stablecoin market continues its aggressive expansion, with total supply surpassing $300 billion in 2025, driven by increasing institutional and retail demand for reliable, fiat-linked crypto assets.
