On 17 April 2026, ESMA confirmed that MiCA transitional periods across the EU will end on 1 July 2026. From that date, any entity providing crypto-asset services to EU clients without a MiCA licence will be in breach of EU law and must cease operations.

Unauthorised providers must have a credible wind-down plan in place, including advance client notice and asset transfers to authorised CASPs or self-hosted wallets. Authorised CASPs must actively onboard migrating clients while meeting AML/CFT standards, and custody arrangements with non-EU entities must be unwound. National regulators will enforce compliance strictly.

For providers unable to obtain authorisation in time, three possible options exist: seeking full MiCA authorisation, partnering with an already-licensed CASP, or executing an orderly wind-down. Consumers should verify their provider’s status on the ESMA Interim MiCA Register and act promptly if their provider is unauthorised.