In a recent interview with Cointelegraph, Eric Anziani, the President and Chief Operating Officer of Crypto.com, shared his insights on the anticipated positive impact of the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) legislation on the expansion efforts of major cryptocurrency exchanges across Europe. Anziani emphasized the challenges faced by exchanges due to the current “fragmented” nature of European regulations, which vary significantly across different countries, making cross-border operations complex and costly.
The implementation of MiCA, Anziani believes, will bring much-needed harmonization to the European cryptocurrency market. This legislation aims to standardize the regulatory framework across the continent, thus simplifying compliance and operations for exchanges like Crypto.com. Anziani highlighted the company’s proactive approach to compliance, with registrations in key European markets such as France, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands, underscoring the high compliance costs and efforts involved in navigating the current diverse regulatory landscape.
The recent collapse of the FTX empire has led to increased scrutiny of the cryptocurrency industry globally, with regulators tightening frameworks to ensure better customer protection and market integrity. Anziani noted that these changes are not limited to Europe; other markets, including the United Kingdom, have also revised their regulatory approaches. In June 2022, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) introduced stricter rules for crypto-related businesses, focusing on advertising, investor protection, and implementing measures like a “cooling-off period” for new investors.
Despite these regulatory hurdles, Crypto.com has continued to grow, with Anziani revealing that the platform’s user base is nearing 100 million. The company has experienced a significant influx of users since October 2023, attributed to a surge in Bitcoin’s value and the anticipation of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the United States. Anziani underscored Crypto.com’s strong presence in “tier one” jurisdictions, including North America, Western Europe, the UK, and Asia, which constitute a significant portion of its user base.
The anticipation surrounding MiCA and the consequent regulatory harmonization across Europe is seen as a positive development for cryptocurrency exchanges. It promises to reduce the complexity and cost of compliance, thereby facilitating smoother expansion and operation across the continent. This move is expected to not only benefit established players like Crypto.com but also enhance the overall growth and stability of the European cryptocurrency market.
