ESMA added 15 new Crypto-Asset Service Providers to its MiCA register this week, with BNY Mellon's Belgian unit and BitPay among the new entries. The additions bring the total number of licensed CASPs under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets framework to 309.
Why it matters
MiCA is the first comprehensive crypto regime to reach full effect across a major economy, and the register is the public ledger of who has cleared it. The appearance of a Tier-1 US custodian like BNY Mellon underscores that the largest TradFi players are now treating MiCA authorisation as table stakes for serving European clients, not a compliance afterthought. BitPay's inclusion extends that signal into the payments layer, where merchant and processor compliance has lagged the exchange and custody tier.
Market impact
Each new CASP entry widens the pool of regulated on-ramps and custodians that European banks, payment firms, and asset managers can route through without taking on unlicensed-counterparty risk. The register crossing 309 also gives compliance teams a denser shortlist when pitching stablecoin distribution, EUR-denominated settlement, or tokenised-fund servicing to institutional clients who require MiCA-aligned counterparties.
Frequently asked questions
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What is ESMA's MiCA register?
It is the public list of Crypto-Asset Service Providers authorised under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation, now covering 309 licensed providers.
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Why does BNY Mellon joining matter?
It signals that a Tier-1 US custodian is treating MiCA authorisation as a prerequisite for serving European clients, raising the compliance bar across the sector.
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Why does BitPay's inclusion stand out?
BitPay is a long-standing crypto payments processor, and its entry extends MiCA compliance coverage into the merchant and payment-rail layer, where uptake has lagged exchanges and custodians.
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What does a CASP authorisation allow under MiCA?
It permits firms to offer regulated crypto services such as custody, trading, exchange, advisory, and order execution to clients across the EU under a single licence.
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How does the growing register affect institutional crypto access in Europe?
More authorised CASPs give banks, asset managers, and payment firms a larger pool of licensed counterparties for stablecoin distribution, EUR settlement, and tokenised-asset servicing.
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