Coinbase & Gemini Double Down on EU Expansion as MiCA Rules Take Effect
Crypto giants make their move—just as regulators finally decide to play nice.
The MiCA Effect: How Regulation Became a Growth Catalyst
Coinbase and Gemini aren’t just dipping toes in EU waters—they’re diving headfirst. With MiCA’s rulebook now live, the exchanges are scaling operations while traditional banks scramble to update their PowerPoints on ‘blockchain disruption.’
Compliance as Competitive Edge
For once, regulatory clarity fuels expansion instead of stifling it. Both firms are leveraging MiCA’s standardized framework to onboard institutional players—the same whales who’ve been lurking offshore since 2017.
The Punchline
Watch legacy finance ‘innovate’ by filing for 17 new patents on tech these exchanges deployed half a decade ago. The race isn’t to the swift—it’s to whoever survives compliance paperwork without drowning in red tape.
Saylor Urges U.S. to Stockpile Bitcoin Before the World Catches Up
MiCA was created to unify crypto rules across the EU and took effect in June 2024. By December, national regulators were given a full rulebook to enforce, following guidance from the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA). While MiCA aims to bring clarity and stability to the sector, questions remain — especially concerning stablecoins.
One clause requires issuers to hold a large share of reserves in EU banks, which has discouraged some firms like Tether from registering. Still, stablecoin issuers such as Circle and Société Générale have received approval.
Despite regulatory progress, some countries, including Italy, have reported limited stablecoin activity. Instead, market focus appears to be shifting toward custody and trading infrastructure — areas where Gemini and Coinbase may now find fertile ground under MiCA’s oversight.
