USDC Just Hit a Major EU Regulatory Milestone: Here’s What Changes in November

USDC has made European regulatory history, becoming the first of 45 MiCA-notified e-money tokens to receive significant status from regulators. Circle’s USDC has become the first stablecoin in the European Union to receive significant e-money token status under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). The classification was made by the European Banking Authority (EBA) after assessing the token against the regulation’s criteria. Regulatory Upgrade The EU currently has 45 e-money tokens notified under MiCA. USDC is the first to be classified as “significant.” The new rules will take effect on November 12, 2026. From that date, the EBA will take over direct supervision of the crucial areas, such as capital requirements, asset reserves, liquidity, and recovery and redemption plans. These responsibilities currently fall under France’s banking regulator, the ACPR. However, the ACPR will retain oversight of other areas. These include governance, major shareholdings, management suitability, outsourcing, as well as conflicts of interest. The EBA and ACPR will work together to manage the transition and coordinate their supervision. USDC has a presence on both sides of the Atlantic. Ci...