European Union

Deutsche Boerse’s post-trade unit, Clearstream, announced that it will introduce crypto custody and settlement services for institutional clients later this year. The services will be provided through its majority-owned subsidiary, Crypto Finance, which will act as a sub-custodian. Clearstream’s Offering According to a Bloomberg report, Clearstream will offer custody services for Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum...Read More

Leading cryptocurrency exchange Binance has revealed plans to delist nine stablecoins for users in the European Economic Area (EEA) on March 31 as regulatory pressure intensifies. The company noted that the affected stablecoins do not comply with the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) framework. Binance to Delist USDT on March 31 In an official blog...Read More

Four leading cryptocurrency exchanges have recently secured full licenses under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). MiCA, which became effective on December 30, 2024, provides a unified regulatory framework for crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) operating across the European Economic Area (EEA). Crypto.com announced on January 27 that its Malta entity received a MiCA...Read More

Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin is rapidly gaining traction in the European crypto landscape. The MiCA-compliant token has greatly benefited from the strategic launch at a time when the bloc is undergoing a significant regulatory shift. RLUSD Finds Opportunity in USDT’s European Decline According to CryptoQuant’s analysis, RLUSD has already processed 33,953 transactions on the XRP Ledger...Read More

In 2024, euro-backed stablecoins emerged as a critical driver of growth in the European cryptocurrency market, bolstered by the implementation of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). In fact, these tokens have notched a new record in terms of monthly volumes after attracting liquidity and institutional players across the region. MiCA Spurs Euro-Backed Stablecoin Adoption...Read More

In a post on X on Oct. 20, adviser to the Senior Management of the Market Infrastructure and payments business area of the ECB, Jürgen Schaaf, labeled Bitcoin “a speculative bubble that will eventually burst.” He claimed that this would leave behind “substantial social damage amid its high energy use and facilitating illicit payments.” The...Read More

On June 25, the ECB published an update on its two-year preparation phase for the digital Euro CBDC that ends in October 2025. The central bank said that privacy and data protection are its top priorities, but there are a number of disturbing features to the currency that would result in the total opposite. On...Read More

A digital Euro CBDC will be “designed for making payments, not for investment,” explained Ulrich Bindseil, Jürgen Schaaf, and Executive Board member Piero Cipollone in a blog post on Feb. 19. They added that many banks worry their customers might withdraw deposits to hold digital Euros instead. “These fears are misplaced,” they stated. The ECB...Read More

The Europen Union is developing rules and regulations that could be equivalent to a defacto ban on Bitcoin by 2025. Moreover, the European Central Bank (ECB) is spearheading the effort with support from two other major banks. On Jan. 31, Bitcoin environmentalist and venture capitalist Daniel Batten reported that the Bank of International Settlements (BIS)...Read More

The EU Parliament and Council recently reached a provisional agreement on a list of anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing laws. Although further deliberation on other proposed measures is yet to be had, the new measures will help streamline the efforts of the national financial agencies of EU countries in this area. Although cryptocurrencies are not...Read More

Prominent blockchain analytic platform Glassnode is exiting the crypto tax-related projects space by selling Accointing to the European crypto compliance provider Blockpit. In a statement, Blockpit expressed that it finds the similarity between these businesses particularly “attractive.” This decision comes approximately a year after Glassnode acquired Accointing.com, a crypto tax and portfolio tracking platform. The...Read More

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance announced notching strategic partnerships with multiple new fiat service providers. Through these collaborations, the platform can now offer a comprehensive range of Euro (EUR) services to its European users. The Importance of Fiat Partnerships In a significant move to enhance user accessibility and expand its foothold in the European market, cryptocurrency exchange...Read More

The cryptocurrency industry is transforming significantly due to heightened government regulations, particularly in the United States. Many US-based crypto companies, especially exchanges, are considering strategies to shift their operations abroad, which includes exploring new markets and contemplating relocating entirely out of the country. In contrast, Europe has become an attractive destination for crypto firms seeking...Read More

In what’s described as a rapidly evolving landscape of financial and economic crimes threatening the internal security of the European Union, Europol has applauded the independence and protection offered by blockchain technology. Europol has also raised concerns over the rising criminal activity within decentralized finance (DeFi). Europol Warns of Rising Criminal Activity in DeFi and...Read More

While the US SEC continues to reject or delay, at best, all spot Bitcoin ETF applications, such a product has seen the light of day in Europe. Called the Jacobi FT Wilshire Bitcoin ETF, it will be the first similar product compliant with SFDR Article 8 through its decarbonization strategy. The press release dated August...Read More