Podcast: ESMA Report: Undue Pressure on Companies
The Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) has now been in full effect for six months. This landmark piece of legislation, which is designed to create a harmonized regulatory framework for cryptoassets across the EU,...more
Welcome to our EU crypto update - a roundup of key Irish and EU legislative and regulatory developments shaping the crypto-assets sector....more
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has published its final report on the guidelines on supervisory practices for National Competent Authorities (NCAs) to prevent and detect market abuse under the Market in...more
Since December 2024, cryptoassets and related services are regulated in the European Union by the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). Although the regulation provides a comprehensive set of rules for issuers of...more
On April 8, 2025, Natasha Cazenave, executive director of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), addressed the European Parliament’s Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, offering key insights into the...more
Official translations of the guidelines on certain aspects of the suitability requirements and format of the periodic statement for portfolio management activities under the EU Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCAR) have...more
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has published official translations of its guidelines on the conditions and criteria for the qualification of cryptoassets as financial instruments under Article 2(5) of...more
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has published official translations of its guidelines on the procedures and policies, including the rights of clients, in the context of transfer services for cryptoassets...more
The European Securities and Markets Authority has launched a survey on legal entity identifiers to gather evidence on how the optionality in the use of legal identifiers would impact market participants were it to be...more
In a previous alert, “Are You Ready for MiCA Implementation?,” we discussed provisions of the Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCA) governing stablecoins that came into effect on 11 June 2024. With further provisions...more
The Irish government has been supportive of the development of the financial services sector in Ireland and this extends to fintech. The government’s strategy for the development of Ireland’s international financial services...more
Key developments of interest over the last month include: the Bank of Italy’s communication on unauthorised payment transactions; the Reserve Bank of Australia’s announcement of an upcoming review into retail payments...more
Crypto-asset firms are increasingly focused on the impact of MiCA on their businesses both from the perspective of high-level strategy and in relation to changes to their day-to-day compliance arrangements. MiCA represents a...more
In our previous alert, we noted the statement of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) encouraging market participants and national competent authorities in EU member states to prepare for implementation of the...more
In September 2020, the European Commission adopted a digital finance package with the aim of creating a supportive regulatory framework to enable the digital transformation of the European Union’s financial industry. It...more
As noted in our previous Marketing Crypto-Assets in and Into Europe: MiCAR, the EU’s New Uniform Crypto Code, the European Union (EU) Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR) was published in the Official Journal of the...more
On May 23, 2023, the International Organisation of Securities Commissions launched a consultation on proposed policy recommendations for crypto and digital asset markets. IOSCO is proposing that the final recommendations,...more
The European Commission has published a Communication on its EU digital finance strategy for the coming years. The global economy has been transformed by digital innovation, and this includes financial services. The...more
On 24 September 2020, the European Commission (Commission) launched its Digital Finance Strategy (Strategy). The Strategy includes, among other elements: (i) a proposal for a Regulation on Markets in Crypto-Assets with its...more
The impact of crypto-assets on the global financial system continues to be a subject of debate for regulatory and supervisory authorities....more
FINANCIAL MARKETS - IOSCO Consults on Regulating Crypto-Asset Trading Platforms - On May 28, the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) published a consultation paper on regulating crypto-asset...more
A well-renowned think tank sued the Securities and Exchange Commission claiming that the SEC’s prohibition against respondents contesting allegations in enforcement settlements violates the freedom of speech guarantee under...more
DERIVATIVES - SEC Issues Statement on Swap Business Conduct Rules - On October 31, the Securities and Exchange Commission took an unusual additional step towards implementing its rules for security-based swaps (SBS) by...more