MiCA
What is MiCA regulation? MiCA, short for Markets in Crypto-Assets, is the European Union's rulebook for crypto companies, setting licensing, disclosure, and consumer protection standards across all 27 member states.
It matters because it replaces a patchwork of national rules with one set of requirements, so a company licensed in one EU country can operate in the rest without reapplying. Readers often want to know who it covers: mainly exchanges, wallet providers, and stablecoin issuers, not individual token holders.
MiCA took full effect in December 2024. Under it, stablecoin issuers like Circle must hold reserves and get authorized by an EU regulator, while exchanges need a license to offer trading services to EU residents. It doesn't yet cover NFTs or DeFi protocols directly.
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