ESMA Adds 14 Crypto Firms to MiCA Register as Traditional Banks Step Up Entry

The European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation, or MiCA, created a harmonized licensing framework for crypto firms across the bloc. An authorization granted by one national regulator can support passported services elsewhere in the European market. With the transitional period ending on July 1, 2026, ESMA’s central register has become a key reference for customers and counterparties checking whether a crypto-asset service provider is permitted to operate.

The European Securities and Markets Authority added 12 authorized crypto-asset service providers in its fourth register update since the July 1 deadline, lifting the total from 309 to 321. The latest group includes three German cooperative banks as well as firms connected to France and Spain, extending the recent influx of traditional financial institutions into regulated crypto services. ESMA also added three entities to its non-compliant list, highlighting continued enforcement alongside licensing growth.

The European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation, known as MiCA, created a common authorization and supervision regime for crypto-asset service providers across the bloc. A license can be passported into other EU markets, replacing a patchwork of national rules with standards covering governance, disclosures and client protection. The addition of a unit of BNY, one of the world’s largest custody banks, underscores how traditional financial institutions are moving regulated digital-asset services into their core European operations.

The European Securities and Markets Authority updated its interim MiCA register on July 24, adding 15 crypto-asset service providers and lifting the total to 309. The additions included Belgium-based BNY SA/NV, a subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon, authorized for crypto-asset custody and transfer services following notification by the National Bank of Belgium. It was ESMA’s third register update since the EU’s longest grandfathering period expired on July 1, when providers without MiCA authorization were required to stop serving EU clients.

The European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) establishes a unified authorization and cross-border operating framework for crypto-asset service providers. After the longest transition period expired on July 1, 2026, unlicensed operators face having to exit the market. Standard Chartered’s inclusion in the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) register signals that traditional banks are accelerating efforts to bring digital-asset services into the regulated financial system.

ESMA updated the register on July 3, 2026, adding 37 crypto-asset service providers, including Standard Chartered, FalconX and Sygnum Europe. The total rose to 280 from 243 on June 26. Standard Chartered received MiCA authorization in Luxembourg on June 25, as well as an electronic money institution (EMI) license allowing it to issue electronic money and provide payment services.