EU CASP registry ticks to 280 (+37) as Standard Chartered lands on-chain licensing map

Standard Chartered has secured authorization under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, becoming one of 37 firms newly added to the European Securities and Markets Authority’s (ESMA) crypto asset service provider register, according to BeInCrypto. The addition brings the total number of licensed crypto asset service providers (CASPs) operating across the EU to 280.

A Major Bank Joins the MiCA Register

Standard Chartered’s inclusion marks a notable milestone for MiCA, which has largely been adopted so far by dedicated crypto exchanges, custodians and stablecoin issuers rather than large global banks. Its entry into the register signals that traditional financial institutions are increasingly willing to seek formal authorization to offer crypto-related services within the EU’s single market, as reported by BeInCrypto.

MiCA, which came into full force across the bloc, requires any firm offering crypto asset services to EU customers to obtain a license from a national regulator, which is then passported across all 27 member states. ESMA maintains the central register of all approved CASPs, updating it as national authorities process new applications.

Register Grows to 280 Licensed Firms

The latest batch of 37 approvals lifts the total number of MiCA-licensed CASPs to 280, according to BeInCrypto’s reporting on ESMA’s data. The steady expansion of the register reflects the ongoing rollout of MiCA’s licensing regime, which has become the reference framework for crypto firms seeking regulatory clarity and legal certainty to operate across the European market.

For crypto businesses, a MiCA license offers a single passport to serve customers in all EU member states without needing separate national authorizations, a significant advantage over the fragmented licensing regimes that previously governed digital asset activity in Europe.

Why It Matters for the Broader Market

The entry of a global bank like Standard Chartered into the MiCA framework could encourage other traditional finance players to pursue similar authorizations, further blurring the line between conventional banking and crypto asset services in Europe. It also adds to growing evidence that MiCA is becoming an established compliance benchmark that both crypto-native firms and legacy institutions are choosing to meet.

As the register continues to expand, market participants will be watching whether more banks and financial institutions follow Standard Chartered’s lead, potentially reshaping the competitive landscape for crypto services across the bloc.

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