The warning means crypto-asset service providers must prepare wind-down and customer migration plans even if their authorization applications are still under review, as national regulators tighten enforcement.
ESMA said on June 3 that crypto-asset service providers must stop serving EU clients when the MiCA transition ends on July 1, 2026 if they do not have MiCA authorization, even when their applications are still under review. The guidance raises the stakes for firms relying on pending approvals and signals that regulators expect them to begin wind-down and customer migration plans ahead of the deadline. France’s AMF warned that unauthorized activity could be criminal, while Germany requires authorization by June 30. The move matters because many users in Europe still use non-MiCA platforms, leaving a sizable customer base exposed to service changes as enforcement under the EU’s new crypto regime tightens.