Europe’s MiCA deadline sparks a crypto licensing rush as 283 firms receive approvals. Germany leads, while Standard Chartered joins ESMA’s growing register.
Europe’s new crypto rules have triggered a major licensing rush across the region. ESMA now has 283 crypto firms registered under the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation.
This was up from 244 just a few days ago. Furthermore, 36 approvals were received in the last week, with 13 received on June 30, indicating that many companies waited until the last minute.
ESMA Adds More Crypto Firms to the MiCA Register
The European Union’s transition period has come to an end and ESMA has published its first update to the MiCA register. The update included 37 new Crypto-Asset Service Providers (CASPs). This has enabled more global financial and crypto companies to provide regulated services throughout the European Union.
Europe's MiCA deadline just triggered a licensing scramble
283 crypto firms are now authorized under MiCA, per ESMA's register, up from 244 days earlier. 36 approvals landed in the final week alone, 13 crammed into June 30.
Germany leads with 59 licenses. France and the… pic.twitter.com/l1CaYR5hfd
— BSCN (@BSCNews) July 3, 2026
The new firms approved are Standard Chartered, FalconX, Sygnum Europe and Ronin EM. In addition, Standard Chartered received an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license in Luxembourg. Meanwhile, CACEIS, a subsidiary of Crédit Agricole, joined the register as an Electronic Money Token (EMT) issuer.
Germany has 59 MiCA licenses, which is the highest in Europe. The next highest totals are in France and the Netherlands. As a result, these countries continue to be the biggest centres for regulated crypto activities in the new European framework.
But not all approvals enable companies to operate a crypto exchange. Currently, there are only 17 companies that have a trading platform license under MiCa. Rather, most companies were granted permission for certain services. These services encompass crypto transfers, crypto custody, and other crypto-related services.
While 283 licensed companies sounds like a lot, it’s still significantly less than it once was. The old national licensing regimes allowed over 3,500 crypto companies to exist throughout Europe. Many companies, therefore, still have to make the transition to the new MiCA framework.
MiCA Creates One Crypto Rulebook for Europe
The Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation has been in effect since June 2023. It aims primarily to establish a common set of crypto rules in all the member states of the European Union. Prior to MiCA, each country had its own licensing regime. This meant that crypto businesses had to obtain individual approvals in various markets.
ESMA has collaborated closely with the European Banking Authority (EBA), the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) and the European Central Bank (ECB) to support the new framework. They worked together to draft several technical standards that were necessary for the rule. These measures have been created over a period of 12 to 18 months with public consultation.
Throughout this process, ESMA gathered input from crypto firms, financial institutions and other market players. Afterwards, the European Commission adopted most of the technical rules. The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union also approved them before they entered into force.
The latest licensing boom is evidence of the fact that many crypto firms rushed to finish their applications in time for the deadline. Meanwhile, the approvals of major companies like Standard Chartered and FalconX underscore the increasing institutional appetite for Europe’s regulated crypto market.
Overall, MiCA marks an important step for the European crypto industry. Hundreds of companies have already been licensed, and thousands of companies are still transitioning from the old to the new system. With the increasing number of approvals, Europe is set to create a more integrated, clear, and regulated digital asset market.
Bilal Hassan is a seasoned crypto journalist with over five years of experience covering blockchain, digital assets, and global fintech trends. His work focuses on market developments, regulatory shifts, and the evolving landscape of cryptocurrency adoption worldwide.