Circle, a leading financial technology firm and issuer of the USDC and EURC stablecoins, has announced its status as the first global stablecoin issuer to comply with the European Union’s landmark Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulatory framework.
This accomplishment follows Circle’s attainment of an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) licence (‘agrément en qualité d’établissement de monnaie électronique) from the Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution (ACPR), the French banking regulatory authority. With this licence, Circle is authorised to issue USDC and EURC within the EU, adhering to MiCA’s regulatory requirements for stablecoins and e-money tokens, which took effect on 30 June. The interpretation of the law remains subject to potential clarifications by the European Commission.
As part of its compliance with this comprehensive regulatory regime, Circle Mint is now available to business customers across Europe. Circle Mint France, equipped with local banking capabilities, provides near-instant and cost-effective access to mint and redeem USDC and EURC throughout the European market.
“Since our founding, Circle has aimed to build durable, compliant, and well-regulated infrastructure for stablecoins. Our adherence to MiCA, one of the most comprehensive crypto regulatory regimes globally, marks a significant milestone in bringing digital currency to mainstream scale and acceptance,” said Jeremy Allaire, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Circle. “By collaborating closely with French and EU regulators, we can now offer fully-compliant dollar and euro stablecoins to the European market, unlocking the enormous potential of digital assets to transform finance and commerce.”
“Achieving MiCA compliance through our French EMI licence is a significant step forward, not just for Circle, but for the entire digital financial ecosystem in Europe and beyond,” added Dante Disparte, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Global Policy at Circle. “As digital assets become more integrated into the mainstream financial landscape, it is crucial to establish robust, transparent frameworks to promote trust and adoption. Today’s announcement further reinforces our commitment to building a more inclusive, compliant future for internet finance.”
Coralie Billmann, Managing Director of Circle France, praised the collaboration that led to this achievement: “Circle’s success in obtaining this licence is the result of close cooperation over many months between the regulatory teams responsible for ACPR authorisations and the Circle France team.”
Currently, USDC is the only stablecoin among the top 10 by market capitalisation that is MiCA-compliant. This milestone underscores Circle’s dedication to regulatory compliance for both dollar and euro stablecoins. The company’s proactive approach to maintaining high standards of security, transparency, and oversight aims to drive the mainstream adoption of regulated digital currencies.
