Circle has secured regulatory authorization from the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) to deliver crypto-asset services through its French entity, Circle France. The approval, issued on April 20, allows Circle France to provide custody and transfer services for crypto-assets tied to the stablecoins it issues - USDC and EURC - operating under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA).
Under the MiCA framework and specifically Article 60(4), Circle France is cleared to offer these services to clients throughout the European Economic Area. The scope of the authorization is explicitly limited to crypto-assets that are related to the stablecoins issued by Circle.
Commenting on the approval, Dante Disparte, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Global Policy and Operations at Circle, said: "This milestone reflects our continued commitment to working within European regulatory frameworks and supporting the development of trusted digital financial infrastructure in France and across the EU."
The authorization by the AMF positions Circle France as a regulated e-money token issuer under MiCA capable of delivering custody and transfer functionality for the stablecoins identified. The decision applies within the regulatory contours of MiCA and is tied to the terms of Article 60(4), as referenced by the regulator.
For market participants and firms focused on digital payments and crypto-enabled financial infrastructure, the approval clarifies the regulatory standing of a major stablecoin issuer's French operations and confirms the ability to extend specified services across the EEA. The authorization, as described, does not purport to extend beyond the crypto-assets connected to Circle's own stablecoins.
Summary and context
Circle France received AMF approval on April 20 to provide custody and transfer services under MiCA for crypto-assets attached to USDC and EURC. The authorization references Article 60(4) and allows these services to be offered across the European Economic Area.
Key points
- Circle France authorized by the AMF on April 20 to provide custody and transfer services under MiCA.
- Authorization specifically covers crypto-assets related to Circle-issued stablecoins USDC and EURC and is aligned with Article 60(4) of MiCA.
- Circle France can now offer these services to customers across the European Economic Area.
Risks and uncertainties
- The approval is scoped to crypto-assets related to Circle's own stablecoins; it does not indicate authorization for broader crypto-asset classes.
- The authorization is issued by the Autorité des marchés financiers in France and operates under the MiCA framework; readers should note the regulatory basis and the limits it defines.