Bitstamp was granted a special license – BitLicense by the New York State Department of Financial Services, after which the exchange can provide services to the state residents. Bitstamp representatives announced this in an official statement: “We hava always met regulatory measures focused on transparency and accountability, which can help to expand the industry. Getting this license a crucial element in expanding our presence in the US, especially when it comes to working with institutional investors.” Getting BitLicense is a fairly complicated process that requires companies to comply with lots of customer protection requirements. Many representatives of the cryptocurrency industry are critical about BitLicense.As Bitstamp representative say, the license simply confirms that the company operates in accordance with “the same high standards as traditional financial institutions.” Bitstamp also mentioned: “Since we opened in 2011, we have been striving to become not only the safest and most reliable cryptocurrency exchange in the world, but also to form new borders for the industry, developing best practices in the field of security and self–regulation. We always look forward to the opportunity to transfer the knowledge gained in Europe from across the ocean, and help to create a better environment for all digital assets companies, not only in the US, but also around the world.”