The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has added 12 new companies to the official list of crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) under the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation. This marks the regulator’s fourth update since the transition period deadline on July 1. With these additions, the total number of crypto companies holding valid licenses in the European region now stands at 321 entities.
Three German Cooperative Banks Join In
Among the dozen new entities that passed licensing, the inclusion of three German cooperative banks has drawn significant attention. Volksbank Raiffeisenbank Oberbayern Südost, VR Bank Schleswig-Holstein Mitte, and VR-Bank Landau-Mengkofen are now officially CASPs. The participation of these three institutions signals that crypto adoption is penetrating traditional European banking sectors, rather than being dominated solely by technology companies.
In addition to Germany, ESMA officially approved licenses for Spain-based Basque Pay and Fintech Payments. France contributed four additional names: Finary, Woorton, Blockchain Process Security, and Shares Financial Assets. Although the number of service providers continues to grow, the count of licensed e-money token (EMT) issuers remains at 41 entities, while no asset-referenced token (ART) issuers have obtained a license to date.
Blacklist Continues to Grow
The MiCA registration system is also catching non-compliant operators. ESMA has added Cervo Rendisco, Flandenzo, and Corona Fondenza to its list of problematic entities after the trio was flagged by the Italian regulator, CONSOB. The addition of these new names brings the total number of unauthorized companies in Europe to 167 entities.
Regulators have warned unlicensed service providers to stop accepting new European Union clients since the July 1 deadline. This warning carries direct consequences for users. Customers who choose to use unauthorized platforms are guaranteed to receive none of the asset protection safeguards mandated by MiCA if the exchange collapses.
A New Way to Track Exchange Licenses
To help the public navigate this new ecosystem, the MiCA Crypto Alliance launched the CASP Tracker on August 5. This tool pulls public data from the ESMA database and presents it in an independent search format. Users can filter platforms by name, country, supervisory regulator, or the specific authorized services.
This tracking utility cuts through investor confusion amidst Europe’s regulatory transition. Before depositing funds, users now have a reliable tool to confirm whether their chosen exchange operates under the legal framework designed to protect their crypto assets. Reported by Cointelegraph.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only, not financial advice. Cryptocurrency assets are highly volatile and carry significant risk. Always do your own research (DYOR) and never invest more than you can afford to lose.
