Standard Chartered Acquires MiCA Passport
In a significant milestone for the European crypto landscape, Standard Chartered has successfully acquired a MiCA passport, enabling it to provide regulated cryptocurrency services across the European Union. This approval comes as the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) announced the inclusion of 57 new crypto firms to its official register, following the completion of the EU’s transition period for the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation.
Growth of Authorized Crypto Firms
With this latest addition, the ESMA’s interim register now showcases a total of 300 authorized crypto-asset service providers, a substantial increase from 243 as recorded on June 26. This influx is largely attributed to a series of approvals leading up to the July 1 deadline, marking the end of a grace period for crypto companies seeking full authorization.
Notable Entries and Acquisitions
One of the most notable entries in this updated roster is Standard Chartered, which received its MiCA approval from Luxembourg’s Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF) on June 25. This authorization is further complemented by the bank’s new Electronic Money Institution license, allowing it to utilize MiCA’s passporting feature. Consequently, Standard Chartered can now operate within all 27 EU member states without the requirement of obtaining individual approvals in each nation.
Also joining the ranks are institutional crypto trading entity FalconX, which gained approval from Malta’s Financial Services Authority just ahead of the July 1 cutoff. Additional names now listed include Sygnum Europe, a digital asset bank, along with Ronin EM and CACEIS, an asset servicing firm linked to Crédit Agricole and Santander.
Interestingly, CACEIS is currently negotiating to acquire Meria, a French cryptocurrency investment platform that has attracted around 150,000 users with approximately €350 million in assets. This acquisition would enhance CACEIS’s presence as it continues to broaden its digital service offerings following Meria’s MiCA authorization in France.
Impact of MiCA Transition Phase
The recent wave of approvals wasn’t limited to traditional financial institutions; entities like Bridge, owned by Stripe, also secured MiCA CASP status and an Electronic Money Institution license in Luxembourg. This allows them to deliver regulated crypto services across the EU under a unified framework.
As the transition phase from MiCA concluded on July 1, 2026, companies that did not secure a MiCA license are now required to halt new customer onboarding and gradually dismantle their regulated activities within the EU. The updated ESMA register serves as a crucial tool for stakeholders to identify which firms have successfully navigated the authorization landscape.
Standardization and Market Effects
MiCA aims to standardize regulations pertaining to crypto exchanges, custody providers, portfolio managers, and crypto-asset issuers throughout the EU. The passporting mechanism ensures that obtaining approval from any single national regulator provides firms access to the entire EU market, thereby streamlining compliance as more participants join the evolving crypto ecosystem.
This changing regulatory framework has had immediate effects on the market, as evident by Tether’s $186 billion USDT, which has now lost its compliant pathway to be listed on regulated EU exchanges post-deadline. Major exchanges such as Coinbase, Kraken, and Crypto.com have ceased USDT trading for European users, despite its status as the largest stablecoin by market cap.
For institutional investors and asset managers, the ever-expanding ESMA register presents a valuable resource for identifying trustworthy, regulated partners in the unified crypto market across Europe.
