Spain regulator says no MiCA waivers ahead of July 1 as EU licensing reaches 244 firms
ESMA said EU crypto clients must be served through MiCA-authorized entities as Spain ruled out exceptions, while exchanges including Bybit and Binance faced pressure over EEA servicing models after the July 1 deadline.
Spain’s regulator said there will be no waivers or exceptions as the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets, or MiCA, framework takes full effect on July 1, 2026. ESMA, the EU markets regulator, also said EU crypto clients must be served through MiCA-authorized entities, tightening expectations for how exchanges operate across the bloc. ESMA register data showed 244 Crypto-Asset Service Provider, or CASP, licenses had been issued across EU and EEA jurisdictions as of June 29, led by Germany with 57 and France with 26, while Greece, Hungary, Poland, Portugal and Romania had issued none. Bybit said it will progressively restrict crypto trading and broader access on its Global platform for users in 29 EEA countries while keeping assets, custody and withdrawals available, directing users toward Bybit EU in Vienna, which is also seeking broader authorization in Austria. The clarification also put Binance under scrutiny over how it serves regional users after the MiCA deadline.
- MiCA: The European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets framework governing crypto firms and related services.
- CASP license: Authorization required for a Crypto-Asset Service Provider to legally serve covered crypto customers under MiCA.
- ESMA: European Securities and Markets Authority, the EU markets regulator that maintains the MiCA register and has said EU crypto clients must be served through MiCA-authorized entities.