Ripple scores EU-wide reach as ESMA adds it to MiCA register
Ripple Payments Europe SA has been added to ESMA’s latest MiCA register update, joining 14 other firms and bringing the total number of authorized crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) to 294. The move gives Ripple’s European payments unit a MiCA-backed passport to offer regulated crypto services across 29 EU countries.
This authorization follows Ripple’s previous Luxembourg approvals under the Markets in Crypto‑Assets framework. Combined with its existing Luxembourg electronic money institution (EMI) license, the CASP authorization lets Ripple provide crypto-asset and stablecoin payment services across the European Economic Area. Ripple says banks, fintechs and corporate customers can use a single integration to collect funds, swap assets and make payments — a pitch aimed at simplifying cross-border transactions for institutional clients.
The register update also highlights wider banking interest in digital assets. Portugal-based Bison Bank, Croatia’s state-owned Hrvatska poštanska banka and Liechtenstein’s Kaiser Partner Privatbank were among the additions, underscoring that regulated banks are increasingly seeking MiCA permissions. Separately, payment processor BitPay announced it secured MiCA authorization from the Dutch regulator, enabling it to passport crypto and stablecoin payment services into eligible EU markets.
While ESMA’s list grows, activity has slowed since MiCA’s 18‑month transitional window closed on July 1 — yet new approvals continue to trickle in. Under MiCA, firms offering covered crypto services must be licensed by a national regulator; once authorized, providers can operate across participating countries without needing separate local approvals.
Regulators are watching the market closely as this next phase unfolds. AMLA chair Bruna Szego warned lawmakers that firms exiting the market after the transition could trigger surges in customer withdrawals, creating onboarding pressure for licensed providers who must also sustain robust anti‑money‑laundering (AML) checks. Her comments frame Ripple’s addition not just as a commercial milestone but as an operational one: authorized firms are expected to manage incoming customers at scale without diluting compliance standards.
Ripple has also disclosed prior regulatory approvals in the UK from the Financial Conduct Authority, and its European permissions cover payment services and infrastructure that may involve XRP, the XRP Ledger, or the RLUSD stablecoin depending on client and product. For Ripple, the ESMA listing cements broader European ambitions — and places new emphasis on execution and regulatory compliance as the continent’s crypto ecosystem matures.
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