What happens on 1 July 2026?

The MiCA transition period (grandfathering) ends. In Estonia, companies with old VASP licences may operate until the Financial Supervision Authority decides otherwise, or until 30 June 2026 — after that, a full MiCA CASP licence is mandatory to offer crypto services in the EU. A provider without a licence must cease operations or stop serving EU users.

Is my crypto at risk if I use an old provider?

If your platform does not hold a MiCA CASP licence, it may lose the right to offer services in the EU — which can mean possible withdrawal or access problems. Check whether your exchange is licensed, and move your assets to a MiCA-licensed platform or your own wallet.

Why are there now so few licensed platforms in Estonia?

Old VASP licences do not automatically convert into a MiCA licence — companies must re-qualify under stricter requirements (capital, governance, segregation of assets). Estonia, once the VASP capital with thousands of licences, therefore now has only a handful of CASP licences (e.g. Lightyear, LHV).

How do I check whether an exchange is MiCA-licensed?

Licensed CASPs are listed in the public registers of ESMA and the local supervisor (in Estonia, the Financial Supervision Authority). Our recommended exchanges — Bybit (CySEC), Binance (AMF), Bitvavo (DNB), Kraken (CBI), OKX (MFSA) — are all MiCA-licensed under an EU entity.

Does MiCA change crypto taxation?

Not directly — the tax stays at 22% income tax (FIFO). But from 2026, licensed service providers report transactions to the tax authority under DAC8, so accurate record-keeping matters more than ever.

MiCA Transition Ends 1 July 2026 — What It Means for Estonian Crypto Users

News 18 June 2026 · 5 min read

The EU's MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) regulation transition period is coming to an end. In Estonia, companies with an old VASP licence may operate until 30 June 2026 (or until the Financial Supervision Authority decides otherwise) — after that, a full MiCA CASP licence is mandatory to offer crypto services. This is the biggest change in the Estonian crypto market in years.

What exactly changes?

• Old VASP licences expire. Estonia was once the capital of VASP licences (thousands of them), but they do not convert automatically — companies must re-qualify under stricter MiCA requirements (capital, segregation of assets, governance).
• Few licensed platforms. Right now Estonia has only a handful of MiCA CASPs (e.g. Lightyear, LHV). Many old providers are either closing down or no longer serving EU clients.
• Stronger protection for the user. A CASP licence requires segregated custody of client assets, capital requirements and transparency — reducing the risk of an FTX-type collapse.

What should you do?

1. Check whether your exchange is MiCA-licensed

Use only platforms with a CASP licence (in the ESMA / Financial Supervision Authority register). Our recommended exchanges are all licensed under an EU entity — low fees and SEPA in euros.

Open a Bybit account Compare licensed exchanges

2. Move larger holdings to your own wallet

Regulation does not fully remove counterparty risk. A long-term core holding is safest in a hardware wallet, where the private key is under your control — regardless of what happens to any platform.

Buy Ledger Choose a wallet

3. Keep tax records — DAC8 is coming

From 2026, licensed platforms will report transactions to the tax authority (DAC8). The tax is 22% (FIFO). See our taxation guide.

Trade only on a MiCA-licensed exchange

Bybit is MiCA-licensed (CySEC), with low fees and SEPA in euros. A safe choice after the transition.

Open a Bybit account

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