Europe’s crypto register expanded again after ESMA published its first update since the transitional period ended. The regulator added 37 new Crypto-Asset Service Providers, taking the total number of licensed CASPs across the EU to 280, up from 243.
Standard Chartered stands out in the new batch
The latest additions include FalconX, Sygnum Europe, Ronin EM, and Standard Chartered. That last name carries extra weight. Unlike crypto-native firms, Standard Chartered comes from traditional banking, and its arrival points to a more direct move by established financial institutions into the EU’s regulated crypto market.
The bank did not stop with a CASP authorization. It also obtained an Electronic Money Institution license in Luxembourg, giving it a broader regulated position across crypto and payments activities. In a separate development, CACEIS, a subsidiary of Crédit Agricole, was added to the register of Electronic Money Token issuers, allowing it to issue MiCA-compliant stablecoins.
Why the register update matters for market access
This update affects which platforms can continue serving Europe-facing users as transitional relief closes. Firms without MiCA authorization face a narrower route to customers, while exchanges and custodians already on the register operate under common disclosure, capital, and consumer-protection requirements across all 27 EU member states.
Bitpanda reacted publicly to the expansion and framed it as confirmation of the regulated model it has followed since 2014, rather than a challenge to firms that already secured licenses.
The licensing cycle is shifting toward larger institutions
Earlier phases of the MiCA rollout were driven mainly by smaller domestic crypto firms building compliance structures. This round looks different. Standard Chartered’s dual status as a CASP and EMI holder suggests banks now see MiCA approval as a business necessity tied to market access, not an experimental add-on.
The register snapshot is dated July 3, 2026. For exchanges based outside the EU, the message is clear: operating without a local presence is becoming harder. Some global platforms have already reorganized their Europe-facing operations through local subsidiaries, and the market is watching whether more banks and non-EU exchanges follow the same route in future register updates.