Moldova to Regulate Crypto by 2026 under EU-style MiCA
Moldova plans to adopt its first comprehensive cryptocurrency law by the end of 2026, aligning the framework with the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), Finance Minister Andrian Gavrilita said in a Wednesday interview on state broadcaster TVR Moldova.
Gavrilita said the government is developing rules that would permit citizens to hold and trade cryptocurrencies while stopping short of recognizing digital assets as a means of payment. “We have the responsibility to regulate them, and it will be the right of citizens to hold these currencies,” he said, adding that the effort is part of Moldova’s engagement with the European Union and that “you can’t prohibit [cryptocurrencies].” Share your thoughts on this matter on our Facebook, Twitter, Telegram, LinkedIn or WhatsApp channels.
The timeline follows more than a year after the EU’s MiCA regime for crypto-asset service providers took effect on Dec. 30, 2024, establishing the bloc’s first comprehensive regulatory framework for the sector.
The initiative would constitute Moldova’s first formal crypto legislation. The National Bank of Moldova has previously issued multiple warnings about price volatility and money laundering risks associated with digital assets.
According to Gavrilita, the draft bill will be prepared jointly by the Finance Ministry, the National Bank of Moldova, the country’s financial markets regulator, and the Anti-Money Laundering authority.
The proposed legislation is intended to legalize holding and transacting cryptocurrencies in Moldova but will not include provisions to authorize digital assets for domestic payments, Gavrilita said.
Minister underscores speculative nature of cryptocurrencies
Gavrilita cautioned that cryptocurrencies are highly speculative, noting he avoids describing them as “investments.” He added that citizens may still choose to use them and said, “this year we’ll have the legislation.” He also pointed to Estonia as a potential reference for legislative simplicity.
Elsewhere in Europe, several countries have advocated for tighter oversight of major crypto firms under MiCA. In September 2025, France became the third EU member to call for the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) to assume direct supervision, joining Austrian and Italian securities regulators.
The push followed criticism of Malta’s licensing approach. In July, ESMA’s peer review of the Malta Financial Services Authority’s authorization of a crypto service provider found the regulator only “partially met expectations.”
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