ESMA Adds 14 Crypto Firms as MiCA Register Reaches 294

Highlights:

• The MiCA register now lists 294 authorized CASPs after ESMA added 14 providers.
• Ripple Payments Europe and five banks appear among the latest entries.
• The EMT register holds 21 issuers, while the ART list remains empty.

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) added 14 crypto companies to the EU’s regulated provider list on July 16. The update lifted the number of authorized crypto-asset service providers to 294. However, the latest round slowed from the previous post-deadline increase.

ESMA added 37 providers on July 3, after the transition period closed. By comparison, the second update delivered fewer than half that number. However, the new entries show that national regulators keep processing applications across Europe.

The list now includes Ripple Payments Europe SA, the European payments arm of blockchain company Ripple, which secured authorization through Luxembourg’s CSSF. The firm can now use passporting rules for approved services across other EEA markets. 

BREAKING: Ripple Payments Europe joins the EU's MiCA register as ESMA adds 14 firms, 294 now licensed. pic.twitter.com/JtBU3Kt3GU

— MSB Intel (@MSBIntel) July 17, 2026

MiCA Register Gains More Banks and Payment Firms

Several traditional lenders joined the MiCA register during the latest update. Portugal’s Bison Bank and Croatia’s Hrvatska poštanska banka entered the database. Additionally, two German cooperative banks gained status for crypto services.

Those German institutions include Volksbank Schwarzwald-Donau-Neckar and Raiffeisenbank Auerbach-Freihung. Liechtenstein’s Kaiser Partner Privatbank joined the list. Notably, these additions widen the banking sector’s role within Europe’s regulated digital-asset market.

Other entrants cover ten jurisdictions and business models. Austria added OSL EU GmbH, while Cyprus added Brilliantscope Trading Limited. Spain contributed IQANA Technologies, and Latvia added Hodleris. Norway added Bare Bitcoin and Norwegian Block Exchange. Liechtenstein also listed Smart Valor, while Luxembourg added CPS Europe alongside Ripple. Therefore, the update includes exchanges, payment companies, banks, and specialist crypto businesses.

National Regulators Control Every Authorization Decision

ESMA maintains the central register, but national authorities handle licensing decisions. Luxembourg’s CSSF reviewed Ripple’s application before the company appeared in ESMA’s database. As a result, the update reflects national approvals rather than direct ESMA licensing.

MiCA regulation includes checks regarding governance, asset protection, operational resilience, complaint processes, and protection of clients’ assets. They also evaluate the anti-money-laundering controls and management oversight. Additionally, existing banks can adopt a notification system for some crypto services.

That structure explains the growing number of conventional financial institutions on the list. Banks already follow prudential and organizational rules under other European frameworks. However, they must still meet MiCA conditions for covered crypto activities.

Once authorized, providers can use the passporting system across the European Economic Area. They must notify relevant authorities before offering approved services in additional countries. As a result, one national decision can support wider regional operations.

Stablecoin Lists Stay Flat After Deadline

The July 16 update left Europe’s stablecoin registers unchanged. The electronic money token list still includes 21 unique issuers. Meanwhile, the asset-referenced token list still contains no approved issuer. ESMA also added Reversal Investment Group and Kortex to its non-compliant entity list. Italy’s CONSOB triggered those entries through enforcement action. Accordingly, the central database now records both authorized providers and firms flagged by national regulators.

The update follows the July 1 end of MiCA’s final transitional period. After that date, providers need authorization, an eligible notification, or another valid legal basis. Otherwise, ESMA expects them to stop covered services and protect existing clients.

Before the deadline, some firms operated under older national registrations or grandfathering arrangements. Now, the MiCA register provides the main public reference for authorized legal entities. However, approval applies to the listed European company, not every affiliate using the same brand.

Meanwhile, ESMA started a joint review of custody firms’ digital resilience on July 8. National regulators will assess governance, key storage, transaction controls, incident response, smart contracts, and outside providers. The review runs from late 2026 into early 2027, with the regulator planning a final report after regulators complete the exercise.