The European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulatory framework has entered its enforcement phase following the July 1, 2026 transition deadline, with the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) now publishing an updated register of 280 licensed crypto-asset service providers (CASPs).
MiCA Enforcement Now Active
On July 1, 2026, the European Union's transition period for crypto-asset service providers ended, requiring companies to hold MiCA authorization or cease offering regulated services in the bloc. ESMA has published an updated register listing 280 licensed crypto-asset service providers, up from 243 the prior week after 37 companies — including Standard Chartered, FalconX, and Sygnum Europe — were added in the final days before the deadline.
Under MiCA's framework, authorized companies can passport regulated crypto services throughout the European Economic Area under a single license. Not every company secured authorization before the deadline.
Binance Withdraws Greek Application
Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, withdrew its MiCA application in Greece ahead of the July 1 transition and said it would pursue authorization in another EU member state while taking steps to comply with the bloc's new rules. The withdrawal signals continued regulatory friction between the exchange and European authorities.
Belgium's Financial Services and Markets Authority has already begun active enforcement, identifying six crypto-asset service providers it says are operating without authorization and adding them to its list of unauthorized providers. This makes Belgium one of the first EU member states to publicly name unauthorized firms under the new framework.
Ripple Fully Authorized
Ripple secured full MiCA CASP authorization from Luxembourg's financial regulator in early July, becoming one of a small number of digital asset companies with full authorization under the framework. The Luxembourg approval allows Ripple to offer regulated crypto-asset services across the entire EEA under a single license, complementing its existing Electronic Money Institution license.
Ripple now holds more than 75 regulatory licenses worldwide. "This CASP authorisation means Ripple enters the post-transitional MiCA era fully compliant and ready to scale," said Cassie Craddock, Ripple's managing director for the UK and Europe.
Enforcement Variation Across Member States
While ESMA coordinates supervision and maintains the bloc's register of authorized crypto companies, day-to-day enforcement is carried out by national regulators, meaning implementation will vary across member states. Companies operating across multiple EU jurisdictions must navigate potentially different enforcement timelines and priorities, even as the underlying regulatory requirements remain uniform across the bloc.
Sources
For more coverage of digital asset infrastructure, see our analysis of UK FCA crypto regulatory framework for July 2026.