The EU won’t implement crypto investor protections until late 2024.
As of July 2026, crypto asset service providers in Europe may not fully enjoy the rights and protections accorded to them under MiCA, according to the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA). Investors in cryptocurrencies within Europe currently lack protection under the European Union’s cryptocurrency asset market rules, and the implementation of safeguards will take some time. On October 17, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), Europe’s securities regulator, issued a statement regarding the transition to the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), the European crypto regulations. The ESMA highlighted that the invest or protection s outlined in MiCA will not be effective until at least December 2024. During this period, invest ors must be prepared for the possibility of losing the entire amount they intend to invest in crypto . The authority clarified: “Holders of crypto -assets and clients of crypto -asset service providers...