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Spain Sets Its Sights on Developing First “Crypto-Friendly” City in Europe
12.2.2024
Torrevieja, a coastal city in southeastern Spain, has launched an ambitious initiative to become Europe’s first “crypto-friendly” city, according to a February 6 statement. The Association of Small and Medium-sized Merchants of Torrevieja (APYMECO), in partnership with...
Kraken Obtains VASP Registration From Dutch Central Bank
8.2.2024
Crypto exchange Kraken was granted a virtual asset service provider (VASP) registration from the Dutch Central Bank today. Kraken announced the acquisition of its fourth European VASP license, which will make its services available to customers in the Netherlands. Another milestone in our European...
Why Europe’s MiCA Raises the Barrier to Entry for Stablecoin Issuers
8.2.2024
The Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCA), due to take effect this year, is the European Union’s comprehensive crypto law. The legislation promises legal certainty, compliance challenges and global implications. MiCA’s primary goal will be to establish a unified rulebook for regulating...
European Markets Org Praises Bank of England On UK Stablecoin Rules
7.2.2024
Today, the Bank of England extended the deadline for citizens to provide feedback on its proposed regulatory regime for UK stablecoins from February 6 to February 12. The central bank’s discussion paper focused on rules for sterling-denominated stablecoins, which it believes are the most likely...
B2C2 Secures VASP Registration Ahead of MiCA Implementation
7.2.2024
UK-based digital asset liquidity provider B2C2 has secured a virtual asset service provider (VASP) registration expanding its operations to Luxembourg ahead of new rules being implemented in Europe. The Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCA), due to take effect this year, is the European...
EU Regulator Proposes Stricter Rules for Foreign Crypto Firms
3.2.2024
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU’s financial markets regulator, has proposed stricter rules for crypto firms based outside the EU, limiting their ability to directly serve customers within the bloc to ensure fair competition. ESMA Proposes Stricter Rules for Non-EU...
Monei Starts Conducting Euro Stablecoin Tests
2.2.2024
European payment platform Monei has announced the start of the testing phase of EURM, a euro-pegged stablecoin, as part of the Bank of Spain’s national financial sandbox. The token will leverage Ethereum’s and Polygon’s blockchains, allowing each one of a reduced number of users...
EU Moves to Ban Bitcoin to Meet Energy Goals – Report
31.1.2024
Source: Pixabay A recent report has indicated that Proof-of-Work (PoW) consensus networks, like Bitcoin, may be banned in the European Union (EU). Daniel Batten, a managing partner at CH4 Capital, shared on his X (formerly Twitter) handle that the European Central Bank (ECB) and European Securities...
ESMA Seeks Feedback on Reverse Solicitation and Crypto Classification Under MiCA
30.1.2024
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the top regulator of the European Union’s financial markets, has opened a feedback window, on guideline under MiCA regulation. The Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCA), which is due to take effect this year, is EU’s comprehensive...
Binance Survey: 73% of European Users Optimistic About Crypto’s Future
30.1.2024
A new Binance survey has found that 73% of European respondents are optimistic about the future of crypto, with 55% exclusively using cryptocurrencies for everyday purchases. “We are delighted to see the high level of optimism amongst European crypto users, reflecting the growing interest...
ECB Staff Unhappy With Christine Lagarde’s Leadership, Survey Shows
27.1.2024
A survey of European Central Bank (ECB) staff has revealed widespread dissatisfaction with President Christine Lagarde’s leadership. More than half of the respondents rated Lagarde’s performance as “very poor” or “poor.” Some expressed concerns that the former...
Crypto Needs Cohesive Regulation – A Look at Europe’s MiCA
24.1.2024
From the U.S. to South Asia, jurisdictions are creating a patchwork of crypto regulatory regimes, making international business harder. Europe, with its bloc-wide Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), is different
US Spot Bitcoin ETFs Attracting European Bitcoin ETPs – CoinShares Analyst
19.1.2024
Source: AdobeStock/Luisa Spot Bitcoin ETFs are already grabbing the headlines, according to a recent CoinShares report released on January 15. In the blog post, the digital assets investment firm revealed a $1.18 billion inflow into the crypto space in the past week. Turning its searchlight into...
EU Provisional Agreement: Crypto Asset Service Providers Added to Obliged Entities List
19.1.2024
As per the provisional agreement struck between the European Union Council and Parliament, crypto asset service providers will be obliged to verify facts and information on users whose transactions exceed $1,090. According to the Belgian Finance Minister, the new requirements will “ensure...
Do Kwon Should be Extradited to South Korea, not United States, Lawyer Argues
19.1.2024
Do Kwon’s lawyer has argued that Terraform Labs’ co-founder should be extradited to South Korea and not the United States. The statement comes as a response to extradition requests from both countries, with Kwon currently in detention in Montenegro. Goran Rodic, Kwon’s Montenegrin...
EU Tightens Crypto Regulations with Provisional AML Agreement
18.1.2024
The European Union has provisionally agreed on new anti-money laundering (AML) regulations specifically targeting the crypto sector. According to a press release published by the European Council, the provisional agreement reached by Council and the Parliament focuses on enhancing measures...
ESMA Unveils Plan to Address Crypto Risks Ahead of MiCA Regulation Implementation
16.1.2024
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) is actively preparing for the implementation of the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, marking a significant milestone in bringing comprehensive oversight to the digital asset space. As the ESMA prepares for the enforcement of the MiCA...
EU Banking Watchdog Seeks to ‘Harmonize’ AML Measures With Extension to Crypto Firms
16.1.2024
Source: AdobeStock/Grecaud Paul Europe’s leading banking entity, the European Banking Authority (EBA), has extended its regulatory reach to cover the cryptocurrency space. In a blog post dated January 16, the EU banking watchdog announced the release of new guidelines focusing on money...
Terraform Labs Co-founder Do Kwon Appeals Extradition Decision Amid Claims of Political Pressure
15.1.2024
Do Kwon, co-founder of Terraform Labs, has once again appealed the Montenegro High Court’s decision to uphold extradition requests from the U.S. and South Korea. His legal team argues that the recent decision by the Montenegro High Court violates legal provisions, the European Convention...
ECB Member Isabel Schnabel: Bitcoin Is ‘Speculative,’ ‘Unlikely’ to Be Purchased by the Bank
12.1.2024
Isabel Schnabel, member of the European Central Bank (ECB) executive board, has blasted bitcoin’s characteristics, stressing that it is a speculative asset unlike central bank digital currencies (CBDC) like the proposed digital euro. Schnabel stressed it was ‘unlikely’ that...