🇪🇺 Experts predict a wave of crypto company acquisitions following the launch of MiCA in Europe
Following the launch of the European crypto regulation MiCA on July 1, it may be easier for smaller crypto companies to sell their business or merge with larger players than to comply with the new requirements, according to experts surveyed by CoinDesk here. Now, crypto exchanges and crypto startups must comply with the same requirements as banks and other financial organizations.
In their view, companies without MiCA licenses will gradually leave the European market, and users and their assets will move to licensed participants. At the same time, self-custody of cryptocurrency will not disappear, but the mass market will shift towards regulated companies.
Europe may follow the path of Switzerland. After the introduction of legislation for digital assets there, about three-quarters of the largest banks began offering cryptocurrency services. The banks themselves will likely not compete with crypto companies but will use their services for asset custody, staking, or tokenization.
Coindesk
Europe's high regulatory bar could spark new crypto industry M&A wave
As MiCA beds in and the U.K. finalizes its crypto framework, stringent regulation could spur mergers, acquisitions and closer ties with banks.
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1July 28, 2026 2.7K
