TLDR
ESMA has updated the EU MiCA register to 309 licensed crypto-asset service providers, confirming that regulated crypto infrastructure in Europe is expanding quickly.
- ESMAs latest update added 15 new MiCA-authorised providers, including BNY Mellons Belgian unit and several regional banks and crypto platforms.
- The growing registry means more EU trading and custody is shifting onto licensed venues, but it also raises the compliance bar for smaller firms.
- Next, expect more banks, fintechs, and consolidations as firms either secure MiCA licenses, partner with licensed CASPs, or exit the EU market.
Deep Dive
1. What ESMA Changed This Time
According to a recent overview, ESMA has expanded its MiCA CASP registry to 309 entities, marking the third post?deadline update since the MiCA transition period ended on 1 July 2026.
This update added 15 new providers, including BNY SA/NV (BNY Mellons Belgian subsidiary), several German cooperative banks, and crypto firms such as BitPay, Coinify, Januar, and Altcoins BG. ESMA also confirmed that other MiCA-related registers were unchanged in this batch.
As of late July, a broader count cited 338 authorised CASPs across 26 EEA states, showing that the ESMA register is now a sizeable, pan?EU list rather than a niche early adopter club.
The 309 figure is a concrete signal that MiCA licensing is no longer theoretical; a growing mix of banks and crypto natives now operate under the same rulebook.
2. Why 309 Providers Matter For Users And Firms
Under MiCA, only authorised CASPs can legally offer in?scope services to EU/EEA clients after 1 July 2026, and unlicensed firms are expected to wind down EU business. Authorised venues already handled about 83% of European trading volume by June 2026, according to the same MiCA enforcement analysis.
For users, this expansion means more exchanges, brokers, and custodians must meet harmonised rules on capital, governance, custody, and disclosures, which should raise baseline protections. For firms, the bar is higher: some platforms, like AscendEX, have already cited failed MiCA licensing as a reason to exit, while others (for example Nexo) rely on MiCA-licensed partners for custody and brokerage.
Smaller operators face heavier compliance costs and may need to merge, be acquired, or adopt a partner model rather than hold their own license.
Over time, EU crypto access will concentrate on fewer, larger, regulated platforms, improving standardization but reducing space for lightly regulated competitors.
3. What To Watch Next In Europe
Several national gold-plating regimes are already being reconsidered as MiCA takes full effect, such as Hungarys move to repeal extra domestic crypto rules so MiCA-licensed firms can serve clients without a separate rulebook.
Going forward, key signals will be:
- How fast the ESMA registry count climbs from 309 and which countries add the most new CASPs.
- How many non?EU venues lose apps, pairs, or local access if they remain unlicensed.
- Whether more banks and payment firms launch MiCA-compliant stablecoins and brokerage services, leveraging EU?wide passporting.
For EU users and projects, checking MiCA authorisation status in the ESMA register will become a standard due?diligence step, and licensing choices will increasingly shape which platforms survive.
Conclusion
ESMAs expansion of the MiCA registry to 309 providers shows that Europes unified crypto regime is now operational and gaining traction, with both traditional banks and crypto-native firms inside the perimeter.
This strengthens the case that regulated, passportable infrastructure will drive most EU crypto activity, while non?authorised or lightly regulated platforms face shrinking room to operate and rising pressure to either partner up or leave the market.
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