US EditionEurope’s Financial Watchdog Probes Malta Over MiCA and Fast-Track Authorizations
MALTA, JUL 10 – ESMA's review highlights unresolved issues in Malta's fast-tracked crypto authorization, urging stricter pre-licensing oversight to uphold investor protection under MiCA, the EU crypto regulation.
- In April 2025, ESMA’s Board of Supervisors reviewed Malta’s process for authorizing crypto asset service providers under MiCA regulations.
- The review followed concerns about Malta’s fast-tracked licensing of a major crypto exchange, with unresolved material issues at authorization.
- ESMA found Malta’s supervisory environment and staff competent but criticized the authorization process for insufficient scrutiny and inadequate assessment of compliance.
- The report urged all EU regulators to apply uniform and strict standards in licensing due to the unique risks in digital asset firms and called for urgent review of outstanding issues.
- This scrutiny signals an end to fast-track crypto approvals, emphasizing stricter oversight across the EU and placing Malta’s regulatory practices under close examination.
20 Articles
20 Articles
Times of Malta
The Express TribuneEU criticises Malta over crypto regulation
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) on Thursday highlighted a Maltese regulator's shortcomings over the issuance of a licence enabling cryptocurrency firms to operate across the EU.In recent years the tiny Mediterranean island has managed to attract a number of cryptocurrency investors and companies, leading to accusations of lax oversight in an industry already...
Europe’s Financial Watchdog Probes Malta Over Fast-Track MiCA Authorizations
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the financial watchdog for the 27-country trading block, has carried out a peer review of Malta’s application of the Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) regime, with specific attention to the island’s . ESMA’s Peer Review Committee (PRC) focuses on the authorization of a specific crypto asset service provider or “CASP entity,” which was cleared for MICA despite the fact that “material issues rema…
EU Markets Watchdog Criticizes Malta for Crypto Oversight Lapses
Europe’s markets regulator criticized crypto oversight in Malta, which has granted licenses to several large exchanges this year, for falling short in several areas related to an unidentified entity it authorized.
Malta's MiCA License Process Under Scrutiny By EU Regulators - Data Intelligence
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has raised red flags over Malta’s handling of license approvals under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation. In a peer review report released on July 10, ESMA highlighted deficiencies in how the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) approved a recent crypto asset service provider (CASP), urging tighter oversight moving forward. Malta’s regulator, MiCA compliance According to …
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 67% of the sources are Center
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
