ESMA MiCA registry reaches 309 licensed CASPs

TLDR

ESMAs MiCA registry now lists 309 licensed crypto?asset service providers (CASPs) across the EU, marking a clear acceleration in regulated crypto market build?out.

1. ESMAs latest update added 15 new providers and brought the MiCA register to 309 CASPs, including BNY Mellons Belgian unit and multiple payment and exchange platforms.
2. MiCA registration gives these firms EU?wide passporting and harmonized rules for custody, trading and payments, while unlicensed providers face growing legal and access constraints.
3. Crypto users should watch which exchanges, wallets and payment firms gain MiCA licenses, as this will increasingly shape where they can safely and reliably access services in Europe.

Deep Dive

1. ESMA Registry Expansion

According to a detailed update, ESMA expanded its MiCA CASP registry to 309 licensed entities on 27 July 2026, adding 15 new providers in a single batch update, including BNY SA/NV (BNY Mellons Belgian arm), BitPay, Coinify and several regional platforms across Germany, Denmark, Bulgaria and Latvia.ESMA expanded its MiCA registry to 309 licensed entities

This is the third registry update since the MiCA transition period ended on 1 July 2026, when MiCA enforcement became fully live and only authorised CASPs were expected to continue serving EU and EEA clients.MiCA enforcement is now live

2. Why MiCA Licensing Matters

The MiCA registry is effectively a passporting list. Once a firm secures a MiCA CASP licence from a national regulator and appears on ESMAs register, it can offer in?scope crypto services across all 27 EU member states without reapplying in each country, provided it meets capital, governance and consumer?protection standards.MiCA CASP authorisation explanation

For users and institutions, dealing with a registered CASP reduces regulatory uncertainty and counterparty risk, since these firms must segregate client assets, apply robust AML controls and comply with the EUs Travel Rule. The addition of traditional players like BNY Mellon and banks in Germany and elsewhere strengthens the institutional backbone of Europes crypto market.MiCA register context

3. What To Watch Next

ESMAs expansion is expected to encourage more exchanges, custodians and payments firms to seek MiCA authorisation, while those that do not may face frictions similar to Binances recent app availability issues in several EU markets.Europe MiCA and access pressures

Useful things to track include:

1. Which major global exchanges and wallets join the registry over the next few months.
2. How many traditional banks and payment processors secure CASP licenses for custody and stablecoin payments.
3. Any enforcement moves or access restrictions targeting unlicensed or borderline providers.

Confidence: high because these figures and names come from ESMA?linked registry reporting and multiple independent analyses.

Conclusion

ESMAs MiCA registry reaching 309 licensed CASPs confirms that Europes unified crypto framework is rapidly filling with both crypto?native platforms and major traditional institutions. For users and builders, the practical impact is that regulated, passported venues will increasingly define where reliable liquidity, custody and payment rails exist, while unlicensed services face shrinking room to operate in the EU. Watching who gains and who lacks MiCA registration is becoming a core part of assessing counterparty and regulatory risk for any crypto activity in Europe.