Ripple scores EU-wide clearance as ESMA adds it to MiCA register
Ripple Payments Europe has won continent-wide access after being added to the European Securities and Markets Authority’s (ESMA) MiCA register, joining 14 other firms in the latest update and bringing the total number of authorized crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) to 294.
What this approval does
ESMA’s update lists Ripple Payments Europe SA as an authorized CASP, enabling the company’s European payments arm to offer regulated crypto and stablecoin services across 29 EU countries via MiCA’s passporting rules. The authorization follows Ripple’s earlier Luxembourg approvals: a Markets in Crypto‑Assets (MiCA) licence and an existing electronic money institution (EMI) licence. Together, Ripple says those permissions allow its European subsidiary to serve financial institutions and businesses across the European Economic Area — with one integration to collect funds, exchange assets and make payments.
Other entrants and the broader picture
The latest register also adds Portugal’s Bison Bank, Croatia’s state‑owned Hrvatska poštanska banka and Liechtenstein’s Kaiser Partner Privatbank — a sign that regulated banks are moving to offer digital-asset services under MiCA. Separately, payment processor BitPay secured MiCA authorization from the Dutch regulator, allowing it to offer crypto and stablecoin payment services across eligible EU markets.
MiCA rollout: passporting, deadlines and momentum
MiCA requires national authorization for providers of covered crypto services; once licensed, firms can operate across participating EU markets without seeking separate approvals in each country. ESMA’s register continues to grow, but licensing activity has slowed since MiCA’s 18‑month transitional period ended on July 1. Companies that missed authorization deadlines must generally stop offering regulated services in EU markets unless national arrangements say otherwise.
Regulatory pressure and AML concerns
Ripple’s approval comes as regulators brace for customer movements triggered by the end of the transition window. Bruna Szego, chair of the Anti‑Money Laundering Authority (AMLA), warned lawmakers that firms exiting the market could spark a surge in withdrawal requests. She cautioned that licensed providers receiving those incoming customers may struggle to onboard large volumes while maintaining robust identity checks and transaction monitoring, and urged both departing and authorized firms to plan for increased activity without weakening AML safeguards.
UK permissions and product scope
Ripple has previously announced approvals from the UK Financial Conduct Authority, and the company says its European permissions cover payment services and infrastructure that may involve XRP, the XRP Ledger, or the RLUSD stablecoin depending on the service and client.
Bottom line
Ripple’s inclusion on ESMA’s MiCA register is a major step toward broader, regulated euro‑area payments activity — but it also places the firm and its peers in a period of heightened operational and compliance scrutiny as Europe’s regulated crypto market settles into the post‑transition phase.
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