ECB official Isabel Schnabel urges central banks to embrace blockchain. Explore what this shift means for crypto.
A tech conference where as many deals are signed on the surfboard as in the networking space. This is the bet of the SHAKA Festival, returning to the Cité de l'Océan in Biarritz from September 24 to 26, 2026. Founders, CTOs, and investors come for a format that embraces its "anti-conference" side and for a lineup mixing crypto, AI, and French institutions. Cointribune is a partner of the edition, with a code included.
One week after the European Blockchain Convention, Barcelona returns to the technology scene. The AI Summit Barcelona takes place on September 22 and 23, 2026 at the World Trade Center, on the port. Only the second edition, but an immense ambition: to go from 1,500 participants last year to more than 10,000 this year, with NVIDIA, Google, Microsoft, and Anthropic featured. Here's what to remember, and the code reserved for the Cointribune community.
The twelfth edition of the European Blockchain Convention takes place on September 16 and 17, 2026 in Barcelona. This year, the event more than ever embraces its institutional shift: banks, asset managers and market infrastructures take center stage, with BlackRock, Swift, State Street or Citi on the program. Here is what to expect, the entrance cost, and the code reserved for the Cointribune community.
The digital euro would offer more privacy than a traditional bank transfer. At least, that's what the European Central Bank claims, through Piero Cipollone, a member of its executive board, who states that the Eurosystem will remain unable to link a citizen to their payments. A promise that digital rights advocates receive with suspicion.
The locking of the European crypto market with MiCA already shows flaws. Indeed, the Binance exchange may have found loopholes. Despite the entry into force of this new regulatory framework, it is still possible for European citizens to open functional accounts without a MiCA license thanks to the world's leading crypto exchange platform. Such a scenario would therefore become a real-world test for the credibility of this standard and the future of international exchanges on the old continent.
European pressure on stablecoins is changing access to digital assets. Since the end of the European transition period, several platforms have removed USDT from their offerings. However, available data do not show a net decline in global demand. Activity is growing in some emerging markets, where people use stablecoins for payments, transfers, and financial services. This development places MiCA at a central challenge: regulating European access without altering global usages of the digital dollar.
The ECB warns of a stock market correction related to AI. A focus on the €440 billion of European exposure and the risks for the crypto market.
Crypto aims to become a means of payment like any other. In the eurozone, it is still far from it. In a large survey conducted by the European Central Bank (ECB), it is noted that, even in the case of sector development followed by the entry into force of the MiCA regulation, crypto payments remain marginal at the merchant level. Consumers are still attached to traditional payment channels while businesses show reluctance to take the plunge. This gap persists between the ambitions of the crypto industry and actual usage. Will European regulation be enough to shift the lines?
Binance cuts ties with 16 crypto players. Since August 14, 2026, the giant no longer processes their transactions in order to comply with international sanctions related to the war in Ukraine and anti-money laundering requirements. Among the targeted platforms is HTX (formerly Huobi), a global heavyweight in the sector. Under European and American regulatory pressure, Binance now prioritizes compliance over interconnection between exchanges. This decision reveals how sanctions and regulation are beginning to reshape relations between major crypto platforms.
The government of Monaco presented bill no. 1131 to the National Council on August 6. This reform aims to replace the framework adopted in 2022 and bring the Principality closer to European standards. At the heart of the text, MiCA accompanies a revision of the obligations imposed on crypto-asset service providers. The project also strengthens controls and compliance requirements in response to the expectations of the FATF and the European Commission.
The twelfth edition of the European Blockchain Convention takes place on September 16 and 17, 2026, in Barcelona. This year, the event is embracing its institutional shift more than ever: banks, asset managers and market infrastructures take center stage, with BlackRock, Swift, State Street and Citi on the program. Here is what to expect, how much admission costs, and the code reserved for the Cointribune community.
On November 1st and 2nd, 2026, the Radisson Blu Hotel in Bucharest hosts a new edition of AI Expo Europe, a conference claiming the title of the largest AI gathering in Eastern Europe. On the agenda: more than 100 speakers from NVIDIA, Google Cloud, Microsoft, Oracle, or IBM, and about one hundred exhibitors presenting concrete artificial intelligence solutions.
The European MiCA register now counts 321 authorized crypto companies. Twelve new providers joined the list during the fourth update published after the end of the transitional period. Europe is thus advancing in the implementation of its common framework while increasing pressure on non-compliant actors.
Stablecoins occupy an increasing place in international payments, but their efficiency continues to fuel debates. A study by the Bank of Italy examined their performance against traditional transfer solutions. Researchers compared costs, delays, and obstacles encountered during several cross-border operations. The stablecoin market continues to progress, while regulation progressively shapes its development and uses.
Binance's Android app has disappeared from the Google Play Store in several European Union countries since July 27, 2026. This removal follows directly the MiCA regulation, whose transition period ended on July 1. The world's leading crypto platform is deprived of a major distribution channel in the Old Continent.
Markets will ultimately not get the hoped-for respite. As the temporary tariffs implemented 150 days ago expired, Donald Trump chose to revive the trade war by announcing, this Friday, a new wave of taxes targeting about sixty economies. Presented as a response to forced labor in certain supply chains, this offensive goes far beyond trade. It reignites tensions between the United States, China and the European Union, while fueling a new phase of volatility in financial markets and alternative assets.
The European Union takes a new step in its offensive against Russia. Member states have approved a new set of sanctions directly targeting crypto and Web3 services, previously considered alternatives to traditional banking restrictions. By tightening access to these digital infrastructures, Brussels aims to reduce opportunities to circumvent economic sanctions imposed on Moscow. A decision that marks a turning point in the use of financial diplomacy against cryptos.
On July 1, 2026, the transition period under the MiCA regulation officially closed: any crypto platform serving European clients must now hold a proper CASP license, or stop operating. On paper, the regime promised a clear, fast pathway. In practice, even Binance, the world's largest exchange, found out otherwise. We take a closer look with Yuliya Barabash, founder and managing partner of SBSB Fintech Lawyers, who has advised on more than 150 licensing files worldwide.
The economic monopoly of the West now hangs by a thread, and it is no longer marginal theorists who say this, but the very architects of global finance. Twenty-five years after theorizing the emergence of the economic powers of the South, Lord Jim O’Neill presents an uncompromising assessment of the G7's inability to adapt to the new global landscape. As the international financial network fragments under the weight of sanctions and geopolitical tensions, this reassessment sounds like a major warning for the supremacy of the US dollar.
The ECB accelerates its crypto project. 36 players selected to test its CBDC from 2027. All details in this article!
MiCA was supposed to secure European crypto. It may instead accelerate a new movement, that of capital towards decentralized finance. While regulators seek to frame exchanges through authorized players, some users now favor solutions offering more autonomy. The first strategic choices of major platforms reveal a growing tension between regulatory oversight and financial freedom. This confrontation could permanently reshape the balances of the global crypto market.
Everything is upended by MiCA. With 1,760 active addresses every day—a four-year record—Circle's EURC soars. What makes this stablecoin so popular in Europe? Find out how regulation reimagines cryptocurrency payments and why players who don't comply face threats.
The European Parliament has paved the way for the extension of Chat Control until 2028. This regime allows platforms to voluntarily scan certain private communications to detect child sexual abuse content. The text however rekindles a central battle in Europe: protecting children without weakening encryption and privacy.
The entry into force of MiCA was supposed to normalize the European crypto market, but recent revelations from Binance prove otherwise. By unveiling the behind-the-scenes of a fragmented reality, the industry giant exposes a paradox. While the European Union shows unprecedented severity, several regulators are quietly courting the exchange behind the scenes. This issue raises questions about the effectiveness of continental legal barriers against mobile capital. Such a tug-of-war marks a major geopolitical turning point.
The EU Parliament revives the vote on the Chat Control text. This rekindles concerns about the confidentiality of private messages.
MiCA already scaring off some crypto players, but Brussels wants to add DeFi, staking and NFTs. While exchanges digest round one, eurocrats are already cooking round two.
RAISE Summit filled at 86%: the last places are going fast. Book your pass at a discounted price with the Cointribune promo code before the ticket office closes.
"Some are leaving Europe. We are staying." OKX's message fits in one sentence, and it comes at the right time. Because on July 1st, everything changes: MiCA applies for real, and unlicensed exchanges will have to bow out on the continent. OKX, however, has its paperwork in order, MiCA, MiFID, payment institution. So to bring back all those who will have to move their cryptos, it pulls out the big guns: the "Time to Switch" campaign. Up to €400 in BTC for newcomers, 8% bonus on deposits, a VIP pass offered. From June 29 to July 31.
You can't bet on the stock market in Europe without being labelled a nasty speculator. ESMA is dusting off its old 2018 rulebook. Prediction platforms have been put on notice.