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Europe’s landmark crypto regulations are proving resilient to pressure from the continent’s most powerful central bank, as the European Commission signaled on Oct. 10 it won’t impose additional restrictions on stablecoin companies despite urgent warnings from the European Central Bank about financial stability risks, according to Reuters.
The decision represents a significant victory for major stablecoin issuers like Circle Internet Group Inc. (NASDAQ:CRCL) and settles, at least for now, a heated dispute over whether multinational crypto firms can treat tokens issued within the EU as interchangeable with those held outside the bloc.
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At the heart of the dispute is whether a multinational stablecoin company can treat tokens issued within the EU as interchangeable with those held outside the EU, a structure known as “multi-issuance” that’s become standard practice for global crypto operations.
The European Systemic Risk Board raised alarms about the model, Reuters reported, warning that holders of tokens issued by a stablecoin’s non-EU entity could seek redemption through its EU entity — potentially triggering a run on reserves held within the EU.
But the European Commission isn’t buying the doomsday scenario. “We believe MiCA provides a robust and proportionate framework for addressing risks stemming from stablecoins,” a commission spokesperson told Reuters.
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That statement came after six crypto industry associations fired off a letter on Oct. 7 to European Commissioner Maria Luis Albuquerque, pressing Brussels to publish guidance “confirming multi-issuance in principle” under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets rules, according to Reuters.
Stablecoin issuers argue they can ensure adequate reserves to meet redemption requests regardless of where they occur. It’s a position that appears to have won over regulators who’ve spent years crafting Europe’s comprehensive crypto framework.
The timing of this regulatory clarity couldn’t be better for the stablecoin sector. JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) analysts noted on Oct. 10 that 99% of stablecoin supply is pegged to the dollar, and the sector’s growth would boost demand for the greenback—a development that’s caught the attention of both Wall Street and Washington.