Podcast: ESMA Report: Undue Pressure on Companies
The first half of 2025 brought significant developments in the regulation of digital and cryptoassets in the UK and EU. In this half-year update, we review these and look ahead to likely developments in the UK and EU in the...more
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 the guidelines on the maintenance of systems and security access protocols for offerors and persons seeking admission to trading 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 (ESMA) has published official translations of its guidelines on situations in which a third-country firm is deemed to solicit clients established or situated in the EU and...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
On 4 July 2024, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published its second package of final draft technical standards under the Markets in Cryptoassets Regulation (MiCAR), including six draft regulatory...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
Key developments of interest over the last month include: the European Parliament’s ECON Committee adopting draft reports on the European Commission’s PSR and PSD3 legislative proposals; ESMA consulting on 'reverse...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
Welcome to the July – September 2023 issue of our Irish Quarterly Legal and Regulatory Developments report for asset management and investment funds. This report covers key dates and developments during the quarter, such...more
U.S. Bank Launches Blockchain Network, Crypto Bank Gains Securities License - According to recent reports, the largest bank in the U.S. has gone live with its blockchain-based Tokenized Collateral Network (TCN) and...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
Washington is in a period of closely divided government. The Democrats have the White House; the Republicans have a bare majority in the House; and Democrats have a bare majority in the Senate. In practice, this means policy...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