Europe’s most ambitious crypto regulation went fully live on July 1, 2026. The Markets in Crypto-Assets framework, known as MiCA, replaced 27 separate national regimes with a single unified licensing system for crypto-asset service providers across the EU.
Dr. Lin Han, founder and CEO of Gate Group, warned in early July 2026 that MiCA’s success depends on universal compliance among crypto platforms. His position: as long as unregulated operators continue to serve EU clients, the goal of a fair competitive landscape will remain unattainable.
The compliance gap problem
Licensed platforms invest heavily in compliance infrastructure, legal teams, and regulatory capital. Unlicensed overseas operators serving the same EU customer base carry none of those costs. The result is a structural imbalance that rewards ignoring the rules.
Gate Technology Ltd, the EU-facing arm of Gate Group, obtained its MiCA CASP license from the Malta Financial Services Authority in late 2025. The license covers exchange and custody services. The company also secured a Payment Institution license under the revised PSD2 framework in early 2026.
