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According to Cointelegraph, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has released its work plan for 2027, which will coordinate the regulation of Crypto Asset Service Providers (CASP) across countries, focusing on operational resilience, outsourcing risks, liquidity, reverse solicitation, and asset classification. ESMA Chair Verena Ross stated that the focus of MiCA has shifted from rule-making to regulation and convergence.ESMA intends to unify the reports that CASPs submit regularly to national regulatory authorities and promote common risk indicators and regulatory dashboards. ESMA will advance the centralized crypto market monitoring system MIDAS, which will be used to monitor potential market abuse under the MiCA framework.The first phase of the system is expected to be fully operational by 2027. ESMA plans to enhance the analytical capabilities of MIDAS and expand the types of data available in the fourth quarter, pending approval from the Council, while incorporating regulatory experience into the European Commission's MiCA review expected to be completed by June 2027.

The European Banking Authority (EBA) calls for the inclusion of crypto lending in the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) framework. In response to the European Commission's targeted consultation on MiCA, the EBA stated that lending activities involving crypto assets should be regulated, including situations where crypto asset service providers offer users access to decentralized finance (DeFi) lending protocols.The EBA recommends that the European Commission conduct a cost-benefit analysis for legislative amendments, considering the inclusion of intermediary crypto lending in the MiCA regulatory service list, and potentially adding specific compliance requirements and supervisory activities. The agency also suggested that corresponding requirements should be set for crypto companies providing customers access to DeFi lending protocols.Potential measures listed by the EBA include user suitability testing, leverage limits, and additional information disclosure requirements. The regulatory body also proposed that access to lending involving assets that require MiCA authorization, such as reference tokens or electronic money tokens, may be restricted, and a certification system should be introduced for DeFi lending protocols. The EBA noted that crypto lending is continuously growing within the EU, with previous studies showing lending activities in at least 16 member states; easier access to DeFi through crypto companies and artificial intelligence tools is increasingly blurring the lines between centralized and decentralized finance. The above recommendations are part of the EBA's overall opinion on the European Commission's review of MiCA, which also covers stablecoin rules, crypto asset classification, and reporting requirements.

Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) announced a group-level collaboration with Bitpanda to expand its cryptocurrency asset layout. According to a joint announcement released by both parties on Wednesday, Bitpanda Enterprise will provide digital asset infrastructure for member banks within the RBI network to launch cryptocurrency services, potentially covering around 18 million customers. The announcement stated that each member bank will decide on the specific service content and launch pace based on local market conditions and regulatory requirements.RBI CEO Michael Höllerer stated that the demand for cryptocurrency assets in the markets where the group operates is continuously growing, thus the decision to collaborate with Bitpanda to address this. He mentioned that as a customer-centric bank, RBI is committed to meeting customer needs in the best possible way. Bitpanda indicated to Cointelegraph that this promotion is still in the early stages and will be gradually advanced based on local market and regulatory requirements, with further details to be announced once each market is confirmed.This collaboration builds on the cryptocurrency integration launched in 2024 with Raiffeisenlandesbank Niederösterreich-Wien in Austria. Bitpanda has obtained authorization under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) and stated that it is regularly communicating with banks and financial institutions exploring cryptocurrency brokerage services, but declined to comment on ongoing or confidential negotiations.

According to CoinDesk, the European Central Bank (ECB) and the central banks of EU member states wish to prohibit crypto platforms from providing indirect yields on stablecoins through lending, staking, and other products. The European System of Central Banks (ESCB) stated in response to the European Commission's consultation on the review of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) that electronic money should be used for payments rather than savings, continuing to support the prohibition of crypto asset service providers (CASP) from paying rewards for stablecoins, and that the ban should not be limited to services already regulated by MiCA but should also cover unregulated activities such as crypto lending, borrowing, and staking.Central banks believe that allowing indirect yields could blur the lines between electronic money and bank deposits, distorting the fair competitive environment of the EU financial system. The ESCB stated that maintaining and, when necessary, strengthening this ban, while covering both direct and indirect forms of rewards, should be a clear legislative priority. This position also echoes the controversy in the U.S. surrounding the Clarity Act, where eight U.S. banking groups urged senators to tighten the bill's restrictions on stablecoin rewards, which ultimately failed in a procedural vote of 49 to 50.In addition, central banks also proposed to eliminate the MiCA requirement for stablecoin issuers to hold part of their reserves in the form of bank deposits, replacing it with liquidity rules based on the liquidity of reserve assets. Currently, stablecoin issuers must keep at least 30% of their reserves in credit institutions, and this percentage rises to 60% for those classified as significant stablecoins. The ESCB suggested that significant stablecoins must allocate at least 40% of their reserves to assets maturing within one day and 60% to assets maturing within five working days, while the corresponding thresholds for non-significant stablecoins are 20% and 30%.

According to a Reuters report, the European Central Bank and the central banks of EU member states expressed opposition to the requirement that major stablecoin issuers hold at least 60% of their reserve assets in the form of bank deposits during the consultation on the regulatory framework for crypto assets, MiCA. The reason is that this could expose banks to fluctuations in the stablecoin market and undermine the stability of deposits.The central bank system suggested changing the regulation to require that a certain proportion of reserve assets must be short-term assets maturing within 1 to 5 working days. At the same time, the central bank pointed out that despite MiCA being in effect, non-compliant crypto companies can still reach EU customers, and regulatory enforcement faces "significant challenges," posing risks to investor protection.

David Ripley, co-CEO of the American cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, stated that Europe is taking a more pragmatic approach to cryptocurrency regulation, and the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) provides clarity for market rules; in contrast, the regulatory environment in the United States is more confrontational.Ripley pointed out that the CLARITY Act is progressing slowly, and related work has been ongoing for many years. He believes that if the United States continues to delay advancing cryptocurrency regulatory legislation, it may cede its leadership in financial innovation to the European Union. Kraken obtained a MiCA license from the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) in June 2025, allowing it to operate in 30 member countries of the European Economic Area (EEA).

According to CryptoSlate, the European Commission in item 66 of the MiCA review document inquired whether the current staking regulations in Europe are sufficient; if not, new requirements may be imposed on companies.Analysis suggests that overly strict rules could weaken staking yields and impact network security.

According to an analysis by Cointelegraph of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) MiCA registration data, the number of banks on the EU MiCA crypto service provider list has doubled from about 40 on June 26 to about 80 on September 16, with the proportion rising from about 17% to nearly 23%, approaching one-quarter. During the same period, the total number of registered Crypto Asset Service Providers (CASP) increased from 243 to 349, but the proportion of non-bank service providers decreased from about 84% to 77%, reflecting a relative shrinkage.Germany is the main driving force behind this round of bank expansion, with several cooperative banks and commercial banks recently appearing on ESMA's MiCA registration list, including Volksbank, Raiffeisenbank, and VR Bank. Germany's largest bank, Deutsche Bank, also announced on Wednesday plans to launch digital asset custody services for institutional and corporate clients in Europe. A spokesperson for the bank told Cointelegraph that regulatory approval under MiCA is expected in October.Unlike crypto companies that need to apply for CASP authorization, banks can provide crypto asset services through the notification procedure stipulated in Article 60 of MiCA, allowing them to bypass the standard CASP authorization process by simply submitting the required information to their national regulatory authority at least 40 working days before offering the service for the first time.

According to Cointelegraph, in response to a previous report by The Wall Street Journal regarding European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde pressuring Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to block Binance's MiCA license application, a Binance spokesperson told Cointelegraph that they "do not comment on speculative reports" and reiterated their intention to seek long-term compliance under the EU MiCA framework.Previously, Binance applied for a MiCA license in Greece in January 2026. In mid-June, reports indicated that the Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC) planned to reject the application. Binance subsequently withdrew the application a few days before the MiCA deadline on July 1, stating that they would seek authorization from other EU member states. The European Central Bank and the Hellenic Capital Market Commission have not responded to the related reports.

According to Cointelegraph, CoinShares crypto researcher Luke Nolan stated on the Chain Reaction program that cryptocurrency adoption in Germany is making "very good progress" through family offices, wealth management institutions, and younger investors, while the UK is "still very behind," mainly due to regulatory lag. Nolan pointed out that the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) only lifted the ban on crypto exchange-traded products less than a year ago, and its digital asset market is still in the "nascent" stage.In terms of relevant data, Germany currently has 89 licensed crypto asset service providers, accounting for 25.5% of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) MiCA registered companies; in June this year, Germany also ranked first in the EU with 57 authorized crypto companies.Meanwhile, Deutsche Bank stated on Wednesday that it is awaiting regulatory approval to launch crypto custody services for institutional clients in Europe, expecting to obtain a license in October; Landesbank Baden-Württemberg is also set to provide crypto custody services in April 2024 through a partnership with Bitpanda.In contrast, the FCA released final guidance on Wednesday clarifying when crypto activities need to be authorized and plans to open license applications on September 30, with the new system set to take effect on October 25, 2027.Additionally, the FCA issued stop notices on Thursday to three London locations suspected of assisting illegal peer-to-peer crypto trading; the UK Parliament approved regulations in February to bring digital assets under FCA regulation and finalized a package of rules in June.

Jack McDonald, Senior Vice President of Ripple Stablecoin, stated in an interview with CoinDesk that corporate treasuries represent a significant growth opportunity for the RLUSD stablecoin, with Ripple Treasury clients processing approximately $13 trillion in transactions annually. This business is built on Ripple's acquisition of financial management software provider GTreasury for $1 billion last year, providing Ripple with a vast customer pool of around 1,200 corporate treasurers and CFOs who transfer funds across borders, between subsidiaries, and domestically.McDonald pointed out that the circulating supply of RLUSD has increased by over 50% in the past month, reaching $2.4 billion, with about $1 billion on the XRP Ledger and $1.4 billion on Ethereum. However, he emphasized that he values the token's utility and daily activity more than its market capitalization, noting that RLUSD's daily active volume has more than doubled since the beginning of the year, rising from about $200 million last month to approximately $750 million. Payments and capital markets are currently the two main application areas, and Ripple has collaborated with institutions such as Franklin Templeton and DBS in tokenized money market funds and lending.In the European market, Ripple plans to introduce RLUSD locally through a dual issuance structure compliant with the EU MiCA framework and has already obtained regulatory authorization in Luxembourg.

According to Bloomberg, citing informed sources, Italy's second-largest bank, UniCredit, is considering expanding its digital asset services, including cryptocurrency custody. Headquartered in Milan, UniCredit is selecting technology providers to build the infrastructure needed to hold digital assets and support their buying and selling.The report states that tokenized investment products, fixed-income securities, the use of stablecoins, and exposure to cryptocurrencies are all under consideration. Meanwhile, other banks in Europe are also expanding their crypto services: Spain's BBVA has launched Bitcoin trading and custody for all customers through its app, and Santander's Openbank has also introduced trading services; Germany's Deutsche Bank is collaborating with Bitpanda's technology department to build a custody business.The EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) provides a legal definition, regulatory bodies, and a familiar obligation framework for banks to launch crypto services. Additionally, UniCredit is one of 37 banks from 15 European countries that are jointly creating a company called Qivalis, aimed at issuing a euro stablecoin. Last year, the bank also offered structured products linked to the BlackRock iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF to professional clients, providing full loss protection.

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) stated in its latest risk report that major prediction market platforms such as Polymarket and Kalshi have not obtained the necessary authorization to provide event contract services in the EU, and some platforms only restrict users from certain EU countries. ESMA questioned the effectiveness of their geographical restrictions and VPN blocking measures.ESMA pointed out that event contracts may be classified as financial instruments based on their specific structure, fall under the MiCA framework, or be regulated by member states' betting regulations. If classified as financial instruments, their marketing, distribution, and sale to retail investors are generally subject to existing binary options restrictions.

Gate Europe CEO Dr. Giovanni Cunti stated in a LinkedIn post that financial markets are becoming increasingly interconnected, with digital assets, stablecoins, and tokenized assets merging with traditional finance, reshaping the pathways for cross-border capital flow. The core of liquidity is no longer just depth and trading volume, but also the efficiency of capital circulation and the ability to access it instantly.He emphasized that future liquidity not only means more capital but also aims to make capital flow more easily and be accessed more efficiently, achieving better connections between different markets. Broad market access can break the fragmentation of liquidity and enhance the efficiency of capital operations. As stablecoins accelerate payment settlements and tokenization introduces new assets, the focus is on promoting seamless collaboration across all links.Relying on the compliance foundation of the MiCA and payment institution PI dual licensing system, Gate Europe has established highly regulated operational standards to enhance the confidence of institutions, enterprises, and investors with a clear regulatory framework. He pointed out that Europe is advancing digital asset innovation alongside regulatory compliance. Gate Europe stated that it will continue to empower this transformation and work with industry partners to shape the future together.

Spain's largest cryptocurrency exchange Bit2Me announced the establishment of an independent company Bit2Shield (registered name CryptoShield S.L) to assist courts, police, and financial institutions in tracking, seizing, storing, and selling cryptocurrency assets. This department will support investigators in extracting wallet data, locating cryptocurrency assets, and issuing digital signature forensic reports that can be used in court, while also being responsible for fraud investigations, source of funds verification, and providing training for police, judges, and banks.This move formalizes the work Bit2Me previously conducted for public institutions. In 2025, Bit2Me handled seized cryptocurrency assets worth 1.5 million euros (approximately 1.74 million dollars) for Interpol, Europol, and the Spanish police, using blockchain analysis company Chainalysis to track the assets. Bit2Shield will store seized assets in cold wallets that require multiple signatures and arrange for their sale when ordered by authorities, with proceeds transferred to government bank accounts in euros.Bit2Shield is part of Bit2Me's expansion from retail trading to banking and public institution infrastructure, with investors including Bankinter, Unicaja, Cecabank, Telefónica, and Tether. Since Bit2Shield focuses on investigations, forensics, and training, it is not considered a cryptocurrency service provider under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA); any operations involving the exchange of cryptocurrency for euros will be handled by Bitcoinforme S.L., an entity authorized by the Spanish securities regulator MiCA under Bit2Me.

According to Bloomberg, citing informed sources, Binance announced in June plans to exit the European Union, and the market generally expected it to be forced out due to not obtaining a MiCA license. However, the July 1 deadline has passed, and Binance is still maintaining operations in the EU through various means.European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde personally intervened to push for Binance's application, which was not approved, and Binance has withdrawn its license application in Greece. Previously, users in six EU countries with local entities were asked to migrate away from the platform, and some users later regained trading access through "reverse solicitation" clauses. Binance has also routed some EU users' trades to its Abu Dhabi entity, which is under different regulations.Currently, the European Securities and Markets Authority has sent a letter requesting confirmation of its orderly exit progress. Binance stated that it is committed to achieving long-term compliant operations under the MiCA framework. Data shows that its global spot trading volume share exceeds 45%, with the euro-denominated trading share around 3% to 4%, which has not changed significantly from before.

The digital asset trading platform Gate announced that its users have surpassed 60 million. Gate's 24-hour spot trading volume ranks second globally, while its contract trading volume and overall trading strength have consistently ranked among the top three worldwide.Multiple entities under Gate have completed relevant regulatory registrations, license applications, or obtained authorizations and approvals in jurisdictions such as Malta, the Bahamas, Japan, Australia, and Dubai, among which Gate Europe has obtained the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) license and a Payment Institution (PI) license.As of August 19, 2026, Gate's total reserve size is $8.215 billion, with an overall reserve coverage ratio of 127%, covering nearly 500 types of user assets. The excess reserve ratio for BTC is 22.79%, and for ETH, it is 22.05%. The total user assets for USDT, USDC, USD1, and GUSD amount to $1.578 billion, with a comprehensive reserve ratio of 111.63%.

Gate Europe CEO Dr. Giovanni Cunti posted on LinkedIn that with the rapid proliferation of on-chain financial activities, the technological paradigm of blockchain is expanding from a singular digital asset to the underlying infrastructure of financial markets. In core scenarios such as clearing and settlement, process automation, and cross-market connectivity, blockchain can integrate transaction data into a unified shared ledger and endow it with programmable features, significantly reducing the connection costs between systems and redundant operational processes.Dr. Giovanni Cunti emphasized that the potential of blockchain is by no means limited to the assets themselves. As technology becomes deeply intertwined with the financial system, its empowerment in clearing, automation, and connectivity will drive the construction of a more efficient and closely-knit global financial ecosystem. In the face of investors' growing demand for diverse asset classes and cross-border allocations, financial infrastructure must possess stronger cross-market interoperability. Blockchain can achieve efficient collaboration among market participants and business processes by sharing data and logical code while being compatible with existing financial facilities.He also pointed out that Europe's increasingly clear regulatory framework for digital assets provides solid support for the integration of blockchain into the mainstream financial system. Relying on the MiCA and dual licensing system for payment institutions (PI), Gate Europe will continue to explore the pathways for blockchain to empower real financial activities, creating more compliant and inclusive digital asset services for the European market.

According to Cointelegraph, the cryptocurrency exchange MEXC has chosen Bybit EU, which has obtained MiCAR authorization, as the recommended alternative platform for Dutch users before exiting the Dutch market. MEXC is preparing to cease its related services in the Netherlands and guide local users to migrate to compliant exchanges.Bybit EU has obtained authorization under the EU Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR) to provide compliant services in the relevant jurisdictions. This move aims to help Dutch users continue to access trading services after MEXC's exit while complying with local regulatory requirements.