ESMA calls for expanded powers to enforce EU crypto regulations

Europe’s top markets regulator says its crypto rulebook needs sharper teeth. On September 30, 2026, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published its response to the European Commission’s public consultation on reviewing the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation, better known as MiCA. The message was blunt. ESMA wants more enforcement power, both for itself and for national regulators, and it wants the ability to move faster. The wish list includes freezing crypto assets, taking down scam websites and cracking down on misleading marketing. What ESMA is asking for The core complaint is speed. According to ESMA, current procedures are too slow to deal with suspected criminal activity and unauthorized operators. ESMA warned that potential threats tied to money laundering or terrorist financing can slip away before regulators are able to take any action at all. To close that gap, ESMA is calling for the power to freeze crypto assets on what it describes as “reasonable grounds” linked to financial crimes. The second big request targets the front door of many crypto scams: the website. ESMA wants national competent authorities, the country-level regulators that supervise f...