All regulations / EU Crypto and payments
MiCA
Know the rule before it knows you.
Licensing for crypto services and stablecoins, plus the travel rule for every transfer.
What it is
MiCA creates an EU-wide regime for crypto-asset service providers (exchanges, custodians, brokers, advisers), issuers of asset-referenced and e-money tokens, and public offers of other crypto-assets. Licensed providers passport across the EU. The Transfer of Funds Regulation requires originator and beneficiary information to travel with each crypto transfer.
This applies to you if
- You exchange, custody, transfer, advise on or manage crypto-assets for EU clients
- You issue a stablecoin or any token offered to the public in the EU
- You build wallets, DeFi front-ends or payment products that touch crypto
What it asks of you
- Authorisation by the national regulator (AFM in the Netherlands) with capital, governance, custody and conflict rules
- A white paper for public offers; prudential and redemption rules for stablecoin issuers
- Market-abuse rules, complaint handling and client-asset segregation
- AML/KYC under the Wwft and travel-rule data on every transfer
What it costs to ignore
Administrative fines up to EUR 5 million or 3% to 12.5% of turnover depending on the breach, public warnings, and withdrawal of authorisation. Operating without a licence is a criminal offence in the Netherlands.
Key dates
Stablecoin rules since 30 June 2024; service-provider rules since 30 December 2024; the Dutch transitional period for existing providers ended 30 June 2025.
How we help
Not sure which apply to you? Send us three lines about what you sell and to whom, and we will tell you which rules matter and which do not.
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