ESMA Draws a Hard Line Around Non-Compliant Stablecoins in EU Services

Reason to trust Strict editorial policy that focuses on accuracy, relevance, and impartiality Created by industry experts and meticulously reviewed The highest standards in reporting and publishing Strict editorial policy that focuses on accuracy, relevance, and impartiality Morbi pretium leo et nisl aliquam mollis. Quisque arcu lorem, ultricies quis pellentesque nec, ullamcorper eu odio. TL;DR: ESMA says EU-licensed crypto service providers should cease services involving stablecoins that do not meet MiCA requirements. A stablecoin does not need to be issued in Europe to create a European compliance problem. ESMA’s October 8 opinion tells authorised crypto-asset service providers to stop offering clients services involving asset-referenced or e-money tokens that fall outside MiCA’s requirements. The scope is deliberately broad. ESMA lists trading, exchange, custody, transfers, order execution, investment advice and portfolio management, among other services. That means an exchange cannot necessarily solve a token’s regulatory problem by removing one trading pair while continuing other activities involving it. For stablecoin issuers, distribution through regulated platforms is a ma...