The European Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) has recommended that the European Commission evaluate whether decentralized finance (DeFi), staking, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and crypto lending services should be brought under the bloc’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation. The recommendation, published in a report on June 27, 2026, signals a potential expansion of the EU’s crypto rulebook beyond its current scope.
The report urges the Commission to assess these emerging areas because MiCA currently covers crypto-asset issuers and service providers but leaves DeFi protocols, staking services, NFT markets, and lending platforms largely unregulated. The committee also called for expanding tokenized financial services and promoting euro-based stablecoins to strengthen the EU’s digital financial sovereignty and reduce reliance on dollar-pegged stablecoins like USDC and USDT. Belgian MEP Johan Van Overtveldt drafted the resolution, which will be put to a plenary vote on July 7. If adopted, it would become the Parliament’s official position on digital assets policy but would not immediately amend MiCA.
Why it matters: The ECON committee’s recommendations carry significant weight because they directly influence the Commission’s legislative agenda. If taken forward, DeFi projects could face mandatory registration, transparency, and anti-money laundering requirements, while staking providers and NFT marketplaces would also encounter new compliance obligations. The review process is expected to last at least 12–18 months, with public consultations likely before any formal proposals. Additionally, the report welcomed euro-denominated stablecoins under MiCA, encouraging their development to support faster, cheaper cross-border payments and bolster the euro’s international role. The committee also warned member states against introducing national rules that could fragment the EU’s digital asset market, emphasizing the need for consistent application of MiCA across the bloc.
This move marks a pivotal step toward a more comprehensive EU regulatory framework, acknowledging that the current MiCA must evolve to cover the risks and opportunities of decentralized and emerging crypto applications.
