On July 1, 2026, the transitional period of the EU regulation on the crypto-assets market (MiCA) ends. Of the more than 1,200 entities that had domestic registrations as crypto companies before MiCA went into effect, fewer than one in five have achieved full authorization. The remaining ones will lose the right to serve customers in the European Economic Area.
MiCA has replaced a patchwork of national regulations with a single EU framework: any company serving clients in the EEA must now obtain an Authorized Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP). The transition period has been set for each country separately, but July 1 is the deadline for all countries and the European Securities and Markets Authority has confirmed it will not be extended.
Only one fifth of entities have MiCA authorization
Currently, only approximately 210 entities have full MiCA authorizations. Many of those that have not obtained it are small or inactive companies, but their customers should also make a choice when their supplier’s existing license expires.
Companies that have not obtained authorization must cease operations in an orderly manner. For their clients, this means transferring funds to a licensed platform, withdrawing funds to their own wallet or withdrawing cash. Assets are not seized, but access to them may be disrupted, so it is better to transfer funds before the provider’s license expires rather than after it does.
Kraken was the first major global crypto platform authorized under MiCA by the Central Bank of Ireland in June 2025. This enables the platform to serve customers across the European Economic Area based on the same standards.
MiCA guarantees the same supervisory standards for all clients in the EU. We applied at an early stage and organized our operations in Europe based on this license, so nothing will change for our customers on July 1. Companies that are still weighing their options will face a more difficult transition.
– says Sivak.
With MiCA, customer protection became enforceable. The separation of customer assets from a company’s own funds is a matter reviewed by the EU regulator, not just a declaration by the company itself. Customers of authorized entities also gained specific procedures for handling complaints and an entity subject to supervision that can be held accountable.
Customers can check in the ESMA public register whether a given platform has a MiCA license.
Additionally, new EEA users who sign up for a Kraken Pro account during the campaign period can take advantage of a promotion that includes 0% maker and taker fees on the futures market for the first 30 days from registration. The offer applies to the first ones USD 10,000,000 cumulative futures trading volume during this period. Once the limit is exceeded or after 30 days, the standard Kraken price list automatically applies.
The article is informative and was created in cooperation with Kraken. It does not constitute investment advice or a recommendation to use any products or services. Cryptocurrencies and futures carry a high risk of loss of capital. Participation in Kraken promotions is subject to regulations, KYC requirements and territorial restrictions. Depositing funds alone does not guarantee winnings.
