Coinhouse

High-Level Overview

Coinhouse is a Paris-based digital asset service provider (DASP) that enables individuals and companies to buy, sell, stake, transfer, and manage cryptocurrencies through a compliant, end-to-end platform.[1][2] Founded as a pioneer in European crypto, it serves over 120,000 retail customers and 3,000 corporate clients, including SMEs and large financial institutions, by combining consumer app accessibility with traditional finance rigor.[1] As the first PSAN-registered (DASP) company in France since March 2020 and a VASP with Luxembourg's CSSF since December 2021, Coinhouse emphasizes regulated, local operations with premium advisory services.[1]

The platform solves key barriers to crypto adoption—security, compliance, and ease of use—offering features like MPC-based key management, granular APIs for wallet automation, and chain-level monitoring.[1] With $59.5M in total funding, including a $42.5M Series B led by True Global Ventures in 2022, Coinhouse demonstrates strong growth momentum in a maturing European crypto market.[2]

Origin Story

Coinhouse traces its roots to 2014, when it launched as "La Maison du Bitcoin," a physical crypto brokerage desk in central Paris, founded by Eric Larchevêque and Thomas France.[1] This early venture marked Coinhouse as a European crypto pioneer, initially focusing on accessible bitcoin trading amid the asset's nascent rise.[1][2]

In 2017, it spun out from Ledger as an independent entity, shifting to a full digital asset platform while retaining its French base.[1][2] Key evolution came with PSAN registration in 2020—the first in France post-March moratorium—and VASP status in 2021, solidifying compliance amid tightening regulations.[1] Under CEO Nicolas Louvet since around 2018, it expanded to institutional services, raising significant funding like the $17M Series B in 2022 led by True Global Ventures.[1][2]

Core Differentiators

• Regulatory Leadership: First PSAN-registered DASP in France since 2020, fully France-based with VASP status from CSSF, ensuring top-tier compliance in a fragmented EU landscape.[1]
• Comprehensive Product Stack: End-to-end services for buying, selling, staking, transferring, and managing assets, plus advanced features like MPC key management, policy-driven APIs, and hybrid deployment options.[1]
• Institutional-Grade Support: Serves 3,000+ corporate clients with personalized advisory, granular governance, chain monitoring, and fast integrations—trusted by SMEs to major financial institutions.[1]
• Premium User Experience: Hands-on customer care since 2018, blending retail app simplicity with tradfi reliability, alongside secure custody and brokerage.[1][2]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Coinhouse rides the wave of EU crypto institutionalization, fueled by MiCA regulations and post-FTX demands for compliant infrastructure.[1] Its early PSAN status and French operations position it perfectly amid France's push as a crypto hub, leveraging local talent and proximity to Brussels policymakers.[1]

Market forces like rising institutional adoption—ETPs, staking yields, and tokenized assets—favor its VASP compliance and API-driven tools, which enable seamless integration for banks and funds.[1][3] By serving diverse clients and influencing standards (e.g., as a Dfns partner for embedded wallets), Coinhouse bolsters Europe's sovereign crypto ecosystem, reducing reliance on U.S. or Asian platforms.[1]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Coinhouse is poised for expansion as MiCA fully activates in 2026, potentially capturing share in institutional custody and DeFi onboarding with its regulated stack.[1] Trends like AI-driven compliance, RWA tokenization, and EU digital euro synergies will amplify its API and MPC advantages, driving client growth beyond 120,000 users.[1]

Its influence may evolve toward pan-EU leadership, via partnerships and further funding, solidifying France's role in compliant crypto innovation—echoing its pioneering Paris desk origins in a now-global, regulated era.[1][2]