As digital asset ownership matures globally, the conversation shifts from speculation toward structure, compliance, and long-term infrastructure. Few companies represent this transition as clearly as Bitpanda. Originally founded in Europe, the platform has steadily evolved into a well-regulated, diversified investment ecosystem with a growing global footprint.
In a recent discussion with Vishal Sacheendran, Bitpanda's senior supply chain executive responsible for global market strategies and operations, one theme emerged repeatedly: regulation does not hinder the company's growth – it enables expansion.
Regulation as a driver of growth, not a constraint.
For Bitpanda, regulation has not been merely a routine. Sacheendran explained that "regulation is the foundation of our international expansion, not an obstacle." He noted that securing MiCAR in Europe, FCA registration in the UK, and VARA approval in Dubai were part of a thoughtful strategy aimed at creating a "unified operating model across different regions."
This regulatory mindset has brought about institutional trust. According to Sacheendran, "early and active compliance has created a strong trust advantage among institutions."
Instead of retrofitting systems to meet new requirements, Bitpanda built its infrastructure from the ground up to exceed regulatory standards – enabling the company to step quickly into new markets as they open.
In his words: "We can quickly expand into new markets because our infrastructure already meets the highest regulatory requirements."
Why the Middle East is important.
Bitpanda's gaze is now beyond Europe, with the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) emerging as a key strategic focus. Sacheendran highlighted the region's strong demographic factors and market fundamentals: "MENA has one of the youngest and fastest-growing investor populations, and there is strong demand for digital assets."
Regulatory development has also played a crucial role. According to Sacheendran, "clear and progressive regulatory frameworks are being built in the region, particularly in the United Arab Emirates," creating an environment that supports compliant and sustainable market entry.
Thus, Bitpanda's regional strategy relies on collaboration, not disruption. "Our goal is to forge partnerships with banks, institutions, and regulatory authorities to ensure compliant market entry," he stated.
Sacheendran also highlighted a key difference between the markets. In Europe, adoption has primarily been driven by retail investors, but "in Europe, retail users are driving adoption, while in the MENA region, institutional players lead, and our model fits well in both environments."
Unified investment experience – cryptocurrency at the center.
Today, Bitpanda offers much more than cryptocurrency trading: users gain access to stocks, ETFs, commodities, and precious metals through a single platform. However, Sacheendran emphasized that this expansion will not come at the expense of the company's core identity.
Decentralization occurs, according to him, precisely "based on user needs and long-term relevance, focusing on assets that complement crypto rather than replace it."
The broader goal, according to Sacheendran, is to create a "unified investment experience that connects crypto and traditional assets," rather than seeing them as separate. At the same time, this affects how new products are designed and launched. He explained: "We prefer asset classes that can be offered in fractional amounts, around the clock and with complete transparency."
Although the product range is expanding, cryptocurrency is still clearly at the core of the platform. "Crypto is still at the heart of our identity, and decentralization strengthens our position as a modern investment platform," said Sacheendran.
Building an infrastructure layer for institutions.
Bitpanda has expanded its institutional footprint through Bitpanda Technology Solutions (BTS). According to Sacheendran, "BTS is already enabling digital asset services for banks, fintechs, and neobanks in Europe and MENA," and the unit acts as a key enabler for access to regulated markets.
In the future, BTS will evolve further. Sacheendran described: "The next phase is deeper integration into custody, trading, tokenization, and settlement as a modular infrastructure," allowing financial institutions to adopt digital assets without needing to rebuild their systems.
This development goes hand in hand with the regulatory atmosphere in Europe. "As banks adopt regulated crypto products under the MiCAR framework, BTS is well-positioned to evolve into their standard plug-and-play solution," he noted.
To describe the scope of ambition, Sacheendran compared BTS to the early stages of cloud computing and noted that BTS could serve as a necessary infrastructure in the same way that cloud services support a broader internet.
Stablecoins and regulated DeFi are taking center stage.
The pinnacle of Bitpanda's future plans lies at the intersection of stablecoins and decentralized finance. Thanks to the partnership with SG-FORGE, the company has demonstrated how "regulated euro stablecoins can open entirely new institutional use cases."
Sacheendran noted that "stablecoins are forming the rails for transfers, used for rapid settlement, cross-border payments, and blockchain-based finance," while at the same time "DeFi is advancing towards regulated and institutional models, such as tokenized money markets and blockchain-backed securities."
In this development, Bitpanda aims to "enable secure and compliant access to these innovations for both private users and institutions, bridging traditional finance and blockchain ecosystems," Sacheendran noted.
What's next for Bitpanda?
Looking towards the next 18–24 months, Vishal Sacheendran presented a roadmap centered on regulated global growth and product deepening. He emphasized "expansion into regions with clear regulatory frameworks – including APAC, LATAM, and the Middle East," where regulation acts as the key to Bitpanda's next growth phase.
On the product side, Sacheendran highlighted "a new product line covering advanced wealth tools, more tokenized assets, and deeper integration with stocks and ETFs."
At the same time, Bitpanda plans to scale Bitpanda Technology Solutions into a "global infrastructure layer for the financial industry," supported by "strategic partnerships in finance and technology, driving the mainstream adoption of digital assets."
As the digital asset sector moves to its next phase, Bitpanda's strategy suggests that the winners may not necessarily be the fastest – but those who build on structure, credibility, and a long-term vision.