ESMA approved 14 new crypto firms, raising MiCA-authorized CASPs across Europe to 294. Ripple, MoonPay, and major European banks secured MiCA licenses for regulated operations. MiCA licensing enters a steady phase as Europe strengthens crypto market oversight. The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has expanded its Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) register by approving 14 additional crypto firms. The latest update increases the total number of licensed crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) across the European Economic Area (EEA) to 294, highlighting continued growth in Europe’s regulated digital asset market following the end of MiCA’s transitional period. ESMA Expands MiCA Register With New Crypto Approvals ESMA added 14 new crypto firms to its MiCA register, raising the total number of licensed CASPs to 294 across Europe. The update follows the conclusion of the MiCA transition period on July 1, when firms were required to obtain authorization or another legal basis to continue offering regulated crypto services. The latest approvals include Ripple Payments Europe, MoonPay Europe, B2C2 Europe, and OSL. Several traditional financial institutions also secured authorization, including Portugal’s Bison Bank, Croatia’s Hrvatska poštanska banka, Germany’s Volksbank Schwarzwald-Donau-Neckar, Raiffeisenbank Auerbach-Freihung, and Liechtenstein’s Kaiser Partner Privatbank. 🚨 NEW: ESMA added 14 new crypto firms, including Ripple Payments Europe, to its MiCA register, bringing the total number of licensed crypto service providers to 294. pic.twitter.com/b3gss9nrgf — Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph) July 17, 2026 Ripple Payments Europe received authorization through Luxembourg’s financial regulator. Consequently, the approval allows the company to provide regulated crypto services across the EEA under MiCA’s passporting framework without seeking separate licenses in each member state. Meanwhile, the latest additions demonstrate that MiCA continues attracting payment providers, liquidity firms, custodians, infrastructure companies, and traditional banks. This broader participation reflects increasing confidence in Europe’s unified regulatory framework for digital assets. Before the transition deadline, ESMA‘s register contained about 244 licensed providers. Successive updates have since expanded the list, indicating regulators continue reviewing applications instead of concluding the licensing process immediately. Traditional Banks Increase Participation Under MiCA The growing presence of established financial institutions remains one of the strongest trends within the MiCA framework. Earlier approvals already included major banking groups such as BBVA, CaixaBank, Commerzbank, CACEIS Bank, and Standard Chartered Luxembourg. ESMA also confirmed that no changes were made to its stablecoin registers. The electronic money token register continues listing 21 approved issuers, while the asset-referenced token register still contains no authorized issuers. Alongside new approvals, ESMA continues maintaining records of authorization withdrawals and non-compliant firms. The regulator encourages investors and customers to verify whether crypto service providers appear in its official MiCA register before using their services. The latest update suggests MiCA has entered a more stable regulatory phase. Rather than processing large batches before deadlines, national regulators are conducting routine reviews as Europe strengthens oversight of its expanding digital asset industry. The post MiCA Licensing Accelerates as ESMA Approves 14 More Crypto Firms appeared first on Live Bitcoin News.

Read full article on LIVE BITCOIN NEWS