Moldova is gearing up to tie the knot with crypto regulation, planning to unveil its first comprehensive legal framework by the close of 2026. The objective is to synchronize with the European Union’s MiCA framework, though the nation’s finance minister, Andrian Gavrilita, emphasized that while citizens will retain the right to hold and trade digital assets, these won’t be accepted as a payment method. “We have the responsibility to regulate them,” Gavrilita stated in an interview, adding that outright banning crypto simply isn’t a viable path. The legislation will be a collaborative effort involving the Finance Ministry, the National Bank of Moldova, the financial markets regulator, and the Anti-Money Laundering authority. Gavrilita further underscored the speculative character of cryptocurrencies, noting he refrains from labeling them as investments. Meanwhile, in Belgium, one of the nation’s largest banks, KBC, is poised to roll out Bitcoin and Ether trading for retail investors. Beginning February 16, customers will have the ability to trade crypto via the bank’s Bolero platform, leveraging a proprietary custodial solution. KBC asserts it is the first Belgian bank to satisfy MiCA requirements and has submitted a crypto asset service provider (CASP) notification to the pertinent authority. This initiative arrives as Belgium’s MiCA framework only recently became legally binding on January 3, 2026, following the country's publication of its implementing law in December 2025. However, no MiCA licenses have been granted in Belgium to date, according to the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) register. The launch also follows initial plans disclosed in July 2025, pending regulatory approval anticipated by the end of that year. Belgium’s MiCA implementation has been part of a wider European discourse, with some member states like France advocating for more centralized oversight under ESMA, while others, such as Malta, oppose it. As for Moldova, the country’s central bank has repeatedly cautioned about the volatility and money laundering risks linked to digital assets, but the forthcoming legislation aims to legalize the holding and transacting of cryptocurrencies. While Moldova looks to Estonia for legislative simplicity, the broader European crypto landscape continues to evolve, with France also calling for ESMA to assume supervision of major crypto firms. In short, two divergent paths are taking shape: one nation cautiously stepping toward regulation, and another’s big bank finally wading into the crypto arena.
