Standard Chartered Secures MiCA License; ESMA Adds 37 Crypto Firms

Standard Chartered has secured a MiCA license, the European Securities and Markets Authority confirmed in its latest register update. ESMA added 37 new crypto asset service providers to the list, which now totals 403 registered firms across the bloc.

The UK-based bank becomes one of the few traditional lenders to hold a full passport under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets framework. MiCA, which took full effect in stages through 2024 and 2025, sets uniform rules for licensing, capital reserves, and consumer protection.

ESMA's register update covered firms from 12 member states. The additions reflect a steady trickle of applications ahead of the next enforcement deadline, when remaining transitional periods expire for existing national regimes.

Standard Chartered did not immediately comment on which specific crypto services it will offer under the license. The bank has previously built out digital asset custody through its Zodia unit, which is regulated separately in several jurisdictions.

The MiCA licence allows the firm to operate across all 27 EU states without seeking individual national approvals. That matters more for firms that want to offer services in smaller markets where the cost of local licensing is high.

ESMA has now approved more than 400 firms since the framework took shape in 2023. The pace of new entries has picked up over the last two quarters, though many large players still rely on national transitional permissions.