After MiCA Deadline, EU Parliament Eyes Rules for DeFi and Staking

European Parliament adopts its digital assets policy position

The European Parliament on 7 July 2026 adopted a position paper on digital assets. The vote set out how the bloc should approach crypto regulation after its Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework took full effect. Lawmakers approved the own-initiative report on the competitiveness and integrity of the European Union's financial system. The vote turns the report into Parliament's formal policy position. It does not amend MiCA or create new legal obligations for crypto firms.

Report urges review of DeFi, staking, lending and NFTs

The report calls on the European Commission to assess several activities that sit outside MiCA's current scope. These include decentralised finance (DeFi), crypto lending and borrowing, staking and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). It asks whether these areas should be brought more clearly into the EU's regulatory perimeter. MiCA set licensing and conduct rules for crypto-asset service providers and issuers of certain tokens. It left several emerging activities without specific coverage. The Commission opened a public consultation in May 2026 on whether the framework should expand. That review also reopened debate over MiCA's restrictions on interest-bearing stablecoins.

Lawmakers warn national rules could fragment the market

The report urges consistent application of MiCA across member states. It warns against national rules that could fragment the bloc's digital asset market. Lawmakers took a more supportive tone toward tokenisation and euro-denominated stablecoins. They argued that digital assets could strengthen the competitiveness of EU financial markets if member states apply the rules consistently. Belgian lawmaker Johan Van Overtveldt drafted the report for Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs. The committee negotiated the text over several months before the plenary vote.

MiCA transition period ended on 1 July 2026

MiCA's transitional period ended on 1 July 2026. From that date, crypto-asset service providers that fall under the framework must hold authorisation to operate across the European Union. Firms can obtain a bloc-wide or national licence to continue serving EU clients. The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) said any firm serving EU clients without a MiCA licence after the deadline would breach EU law. Such firms must stop offering those services. MiCA replaced the earlier patchwork of national crypto regimes across Europe with a single framework.

Bitcoin holds above $63,000 at time of publication

Bitcoin traded at $63,039 at the time of publication, up 1.65% over the past 24 hours (CoinPaprika, 7 July 2026). Its market value stood near $1.26 trillion. The figure offers a broad gauge of a sector that EU policymakers are still working to bring under consistent rules.

Vote sets Parliament's stance as Commission weighs changes

The vote gives Parliament a formal position as the European Commission weighs changes to MiCA. As an own-initiative resolution, the text functions as a request to the Commission rather than binding law. It does not rewrite any article of MiCA. It does not impose obligations on issuers, exchanges or DeFi developers. The Commission holds the power to propose legislation, and any expansion of MiCA's scope would follow its own review. Parliament's position signals that the next phase of EU crypto policy could reach beyond the spot trading and custody rules that MiCA first codified.

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