The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) formally added 14 new entities to its Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) register on July 16, 2026. This latest update pushes the total count of authorized crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) operating across Europe to 294.
Notably, Ripple Payments Europe SA, the European payments division of blockchain technology company Ripple, is among the newcomers, securing the necessary authorization to offer regulated crypto services throughout the European Union and European Economic Area.
Ripple cements its european foothold
This expansion comes shortly after the 18-month transitional period for MiCA concluded on July 1. For firms like Ripple Payments Europe SA, securing this license means they can now provide a full suite of crypto asset and stablecoin services to financial institutions and businesses across 29 EU member states, leveraging the EU’s harmonised regulatory framework.
Ripple Payments Europe SA’s inclusion on the ESMA MiCA register follows its full Crypto Asset Service Provider (CASP) authorization from Luxembourg’s Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF) on July 6, 2026. This was a crucial step, building on preliminary approval granted by the CSSF in June. The Luxembourg license is pivotal, enabling Ripple to extend its offerings across the entire European Economic Area (EEA).
This CASP license isn’t operating in a vacuum; it complements an existing Electronic Money Institution (EMI) authorization Ripple already holds in Luxembourg. Together, these licenses establish a robust regulatory foundation. The company can now support a wide range of crypto asset and stablecoin payment services, allowing banks, fintechs, and corporate clients to rely on a single integration for moving funds, exchanging assets, and settling payments.
Ripple’s service offerings under this framework can incorporate XRP, the XRP Ledger, or the RLUSD stablecoin, depending on specific client needs. The firm has clearly prioritised regulatory clarity, expanding its European presence beyond MiCA.
Earlier this year, in January 2026, Ripple also secured an Electronic Money Institution license and cryptoasset registration from the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority. These efforts underscore Ripple’s broader push into regulated markets, with the company reportedly holding more than 75 regulatory licenses worldwide.
Traditional finance embraces crypto regulation
The latest MiCA register update wasn’t just about crypto-native players. Among the 14 new additions are several established financial institutions, reinforcing a growing trend within Europe. Portugal’s Bison Bank, Croatia’s state-owned Hrvatska poštanska banka, and Liechtenstein’s Kaiser Partner Privatbank all secured spots on the register.
German institutions Volksbank Schwarzwald-Donau-Neckar and Raiffeisenbank Auerbach-Freihung also joined the ranks. Their presence highlights the increasing willingness of traditional banks to embrace the regulated digital asset space under MiCA. They’re not the first either; the register already features major players like Spain’s BBVA and CaixaBank, Germany’s Commerzbank, France’s CACEIS Bank, and Standard Chartered Luxembourg.
This influx of traditional financial firms suggests that MiCA has been successful in creating an environment where established institutions feel comfortable entering the crypto market. It offers them a clear legal and operational path, which was largely absent before the regulation came into full effect. This institutional adoption is a critical component for the mainstreaming of digital assets.
In a related development, payments processor BitPay also recently secured its own MiCA authorization. The firm obtained a Crypto Asset Service Provider license from the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets. This specific license allows BitPay to offer crypto and stablecoin payment services across eligible EU markets, utilising MiCA’s passporting mechanism to operate bloc-wide without needing separate approvals in each jurisdiction.
Post-deadline licensing tempo shifts
With these latest additions, the total number of MiCA-authorized providers now stands at 294. However, ESMA’s updates reveal a notable shift in the pace of new licensing activity. The July 16 revision added just 14 firms, a marked slowdown compared to the 37 firms that were approved in a single batch on July 3, immediately following the end of MiCA’s transitional period.
This deceleration suggests that the initial surge of applications and approvals post-deadline is starting to ease. National regulators are likely moving from processing a backlog of urgent compliance requests to a steadier, more measured review of remaining applications. It indicates that the rapid scramble for initial compliance has subsided, giving way to a more routine administrative process.
The core principle of MiCA requires any company offering covered crypto asset services within the EU to first secure authorization from a national competent authority. Once that initial approval is granted, the firm gains “passporting rights,” enabling it to extend its services across all other participating markets in the bloc.
This system is designed to streamline operations for compliant providers, fostering efficiency while still anchoring regulatory oversight at the national level.
AMLA warns on compliance after transition
As the European crypto market matures under MiCA, regulators are keeping a close watch on the implications, particularly concerning customer movements. The Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AMLA) chair, Bruna Szego, recently addressed the European Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, issuing a warning about potential challenges.
Szego highlighted the risk that firms failing to secure MiCA authorization by the July 1 cutoff would be forced to wind down their regulated crypto services in EU markets. This could trigger a wave of withdrawal requests as customers migrate to licensed platforms.
She cautioned that while newly authorized providers would absorb these customers, they might struggle to process a large volume of new accounts while simultaneously maintaining stringent anti-money laundering (AML) checks.
The AMLA chair urged exiting firms to prepare meticulously for a potential spike in customer activity. She also called on the newly authorized providers to uphold rigorous compliance standards, even as their onboarding volumes increase significantly. This guidance underscores the ongoing regulatory focus on preventing illicit financial flows within the digital asset ecosystem.
AMLA plans to release a comprehensive report on money-laundering risk in the crypto sector before the end of the year. The authority is also actively expanding its blockchain analytics capabilities to enhance its supervision of authorized providers.
For firms like Ripple and the other recent additions to the ESMA MiCA register, regulatory authorization marks a crucial beginning, not an end. It signifies permission to operate, but also a heightened expectation for continuous, robust compliance with identity verification, transaction monitoring, and broader AML protocols, which are central to MiCA’s design.