Today in crypto, cryptocurrency exchange Gemini received a Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) license in Malta, US Fed governor Christopher Waller has urged his peers not to fear decentralized finance (DeFi) and the blockchain, and …
Today in crypto, cryptocurrency exchange Gemini received a Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) license in Malta, US Fed governor Christopher Waller has urged his peers not to fear decentralized finance (DeFi) and the blockchain, and US Senator Cynthia Lummis said the digital asset market structure bill is on track to arrive on President Trump’s desk by the end of the year.
Gemini receives MiCA license in Malta after May derivatives approval
The Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss-owned Gemini exchange secured a MiCA license from the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) on Wednesday, according to official MFSA records.
“Receiving this approval marks a critical milestone in our regulated European expansion, as it will allow us to expand our secure and reliable crypto products for customers in over 30 European countries and jurisdictions,” Gemini said in a statement shared with Cointelegraph.
The regulatory milestone came shortly after Gemini filed to list its Class A common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker GEMI last Friday.
“Today’s announcement cements Gemini’s long-standing dedication to upholding the highest standards of regulatory compliance as we scale in the region,” Gemini said, highlighting the importance of MiCA for crypto adoption.
“We believe that clear regulation of the industry is the foundation of global crypto adoption, and MiCA’s implementation has proven that Europe is one of the most innovative and forward-thinking regions regarding this,” Gemini’s statement added.
Gemini also holds a Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID II) license, received in May, allowing the exchange to offer derivatives in the European market.
In line with active expansion in the EU, Gemini rolled out a tokenized stocks offering on the Arbitrum blockchain in late June, targeting European customers.
Unlike traditional stock offerings, tokenized stocks allow users to trade tokenized shares of companies like Michael Saylor’s Strategy (MSTR) with 24/7 market access.
Fed governor tells bankers DeFi is “nothing to be afraid of”
US Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller told his peers and the private banking sector that there’s “nothing to be afraid of” about crypto payments despite it operating outside the traditional banking system.
“There is nothing scary about this just because it occurs in the decentralized finance or DeFi world — this is simply new technology to transfer objects and record transactions,” he said during a speech at the Wyoming Blockchain Symposium 2025 on Wednesday.
Leveraging innovative tech to build new payment services isn’t a “new story,” Waller said as he pitched policymakers and the private banking sector to work together on crypto payment infrastructure. “There is nothing to be afraid of when thinking about using smart contracts, tokenization, or distributed ledgers in everyday transactions.”
Waller’s pro-crypto views could soon have more weight, as he is considered a front-runner to replace Jerome Powell as Fed chair.
Lummis provides a timeline on crypto market structure bill
Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis said the long-awaited US market structure bill could reach President Trump’s desk “before the end of the year,” setting the stage for implementation in 2026.
Speaking at the Wyoming Blockchain Symposium on Wednesday, Lummis pointed to Thanksgiving as a potential inflection point.
The House approved the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act in July, and Republicans are now pushing to advance it through the Senate. Lummis and other lawmakers say their own proposal — the Responsible Financial Innovation Act — will “build” on the CLARITY framework.
“We [...] want to honor as much of the House’s work as we can on CLARITY because they had a robust bipartisan vote,” Lummis said. “CLARITY will probably end up being what we pass, but CLARITY as tweaked by the Senate.”
