Blockchain.com, one of the world’s longest-running crypto platforms, has secured a Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) license from the Maltese Financial Services Authority (MFSA) a milestone that will enable it to offer custody, wallet, and institutional services throughout the European Economic Area (EEA).
With the new license, Blockchain.com plans to introduce treasury management and institutional-grade products, consolidating services previously scattered across multiple jurisdictions.
Prior to MiCA, the company operated within a fragmented regulatory environment. The license helps us consolidate those services under a single regulatory umbrella.
Malta named Key strategic hub for European growth
Blockchain.com CEO Peter Smith praised Malta’s progressive stance, calling it “the ideal hub to scale Blockchain.com’s European operations.”
To strengthen its EU footprint, the company appointed Fiorentina D’Amore, chairperson of the Financial Institutions Malta Association (FIMA) and former executive at Bitpanda and eToro, as Senior Director of EU Business Operations and CEO of Blockchain.com Malta.
Leveraging off the momentum of our MiCA license, we will continue to advance the balance of innovation and compliance across the region.
Malta’s distinct MiCA approach sparks EU debate
Malta’s proactive approach to implementing MiCA has drawn both praise and scrutiny within the EU.
In July, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) questioned the MFSA over “authorization shortfalls,” but Malta’s regulator later affirmed that these posed no risks to the licensing framework.
Unlike France, which advocates for ESMA’s direct oversight of crypto-asset service providers (CASPs), Malta argues that the EU should avoid centralizing supervision too soon.
It is premature to assess MiCA’s full impact. Introducing additional layers of supervision now could hinder competitiveness and innovation in the digital assets market.