What the EU is doing and why
Digitalisation is transforming finance. This can lead to innovative new products, services, applications and business models. Digital finance has a key role to play in shaping a more competitive, sustainable, resilient economy – and a more inclusive, modern, prosperous society.
A crypto-asset is a digital representation of value or a right that can be transferred or stored electronically using distributed ledger technology or similar technology. Crypto assets are a digital innovation that can streamline capital-raising processes, enhance competition and create an innovative and inclusive way of financing for consumers and SMEs. Crypto-assets can also be used as a means of payment and can present opportunities in terms of cheaper, faster and more efficient payments, in particular on a cross-border basis, by limiting intermediaries.
In accordance with the 2020 digital finance strategy, the EU adopted a comprehensive legislative framework that regulates the issuing of crypto assets as well as the services provided in respect of crypto-assets. The Regulation on the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) covers the crypto-assets and related services and activities that are not covered by other Union legislative acts on financial services.
This dedicated and harmonised framework for markets in crypto-assets will support innovation, will provide for the proportionate treatment of issuers of crypto-assets and crypto asset service providers to scale up their business cross borders, and provide significant benefits in terms of cheaper, faster and safer financial services and asset management.
