Joey Garcia

ESMA's recent peer review of the MFSA's crypto-asset authorisation process sets a precedent for enforcing the MiCA framework. The findings signal a low tolerance for procedural ambiguity and underscore that National Competent Authorities (NCAs) are expected to perform a robust gatekeeping function. For Crypto-Asset Service Providers (CASPs), this review serves as essential regulatory intelligence. Firms must prepare for heightened scrutiny, particularly concerning: Governance & Intragroup Reliance: Demonstrating clear operational independence and managing risks stemming from reliance on group entities. ICT & Security Frameworks: Proving resilience of IT infrastructure, custody models, and business continuity, with an implicit alignment to DORA principles. Management of Conflicts of Interest: A sophisticated framework for identifying and mitigating conflicts inherent in multi-service business models. Novel Risk Domains: Articulating a clear strategy for managing risks associated with Web3 and DeFi integrations. The strategic implication is clear: the authorisation phase is the primary regulatory checkpoint. CASPs must ensure that their operational, risk, and governance frameworks are not only compliant on paper but also demonstrably effective in practice before implementation. Any identified deficiencies will likely need to be fully remediated before a license is granted, which will significantly impact time-to-market strategies. #MiCA #ESMA #RegulatoryCompliance #DigitalAssets #RiskManagement #DORA #CASP #FinancialRegulation #Fintech

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Kraken is now live across all 30 EEA countries under MiCA 🌍 ✅ Passporting regulated services across 30 countries 🔓 Access to 450+ digital assets – and growing 💡 Fast and easy onboarding & local funding support 📈 Institutional-grade trading, including OTC 🛡️ Strong consumer protections under MiCA Learn more 👉 https://lnkd.in/eskwktHJ

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🚨 Stablecoins are going mainstream - and will be soon available at Europe’s largest banks. Nine major banks - ING, UniCredit Group, CaixaBank, Danske Bank, KBC Bank & Verzekering, DekaBank, Banca Sella, SEB and Raiffeisen Bank International AG - just announced they will jointly issue a euro-denominated stablecoin, aiming for launch in 2026. The real breakthrough is distribution: 💥 Millions of mainstream consumers can then hold and spend stablecoins directly in their existing banking apps. 💥 Corporates can settle cross-border instantly with close to zero fees. Even those that aren’t very crypto savvy. 💥 Meanwhile all this can be offered 24/7 with real-time settlement. And this comes only a few weeks after the launch of EURAU, the first Euro-stablecoin by AllUnity, a joint venture of DWS Group (part of Deutsche Bank). Institutionally backed digital money directly offered by Europe’s largest banks. 👉 This project can only succeed with support of Europe’s fintechs. They bring speed, product innovation, and ecosystem reach that banks alone cannot match. Combining bank trust with fintech agility is what will turn this from announcement into adoption. 🔥 And I’m not just watching from the sidelines - I’m building. As an investor and board member of an upcoming stablecoin infrastructure company, we’re creating the “SWIFT for stablecoins”: a universal layer that enables FI-to-FI payments between banks, PSPs, and wallets - moving money seamlessly, compliantly, and with light infrastructure. If you’re a financial institution, stablecoin integrator, or VC investor interested in exploring this, feel free to reach out. (Separate announcement will follow.) #banking #fintech #stablecoin

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Speck Finance on DeFi Lending & RWA Tokenization | XDC MENA Podcast Hosted by Rebecah Dausen, this episode features Eduardo Lombardi Maceira , Founder of Speck Finance, discussing how Speck is shaping: ✅ DeFi lending models for Real World Assets (RWA) ✅ Risk management & institutional participation ✅ Liquidity solutions for tokenized finance 🎥 Full Episode 👉 https://lnkd.in/dKdmFitb Ritesh Kakkad Atul Khekade André Casterman Sunil Senapati Saloi Benbaha Sean White Angus O'Callaghan Ziv Keinan Diego Consimo Can I. Arturo Cantera Carrasco Satheesh Kumar Santosh Vishwasrao Thibault Delrue Rebecah Dausen Beny Mohammadkhani Anil Chinchawale Omkar Mestry Wanwiset Peerapatanapokin runlai deng rushabh parmar Raj Shah Kishan Baalaji Tadashi Yoshida Aneri Merchant Fisher Yu Nadar Suresh Sonny Mohanty Billy Sebell Matthew Weisenthal XDC Foundation XDC Innovation Lab XDC Innovation Labs INDIA Eduardo Lombardi Maceira, Luis Felipe Barros Krassusky

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