Crypto firms advertising in the EU must be licensed under the EU's MiCA framework when the new policy goes into effect.
Crypto exchanges, wallets need to be certified by Google to advertise on its browser
Photo Credit: Reuters
Google will update its cryptocurrency advertisement policies in the European Union (EU) to align with the bloc's MiCA regulations later this month. The EU emerged as one of the world's first regions to introduce regulations that govern the digital assets, and its Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) rules went into effect in December 2024. Google's updated policies detail the dos and don'ts around the advertising of crypto products, that are still largely unregulated at the global level and regularly affected by market volatility.
The company updated its Cryptocurrency Advertising Policy last month, stating that only MiCA-registered crypto exchanges and wallets will be allowed to advertise their services and offerings through the search engine giant. The new policy goes into effect starting April 23.
The EU's MiCA regulations went into effect on December 30, 2024. These rules permit crypto firms with licences in any one of the EU nations to operate across the region without having to go through the licensing process in other EU countries, as well as Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein.
"To advertise cryptocurrency exchanges and software wallets in the EU, advertisers must be licensed as a Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) under the MiCA regulation by a relevant national competent authority and comply with all other local legal requirements, including any national-level restrictions or requirements beyond MiCA.”
As per Google's new policy, advertisers will need a licence as a Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) to comply with the MiCA regulation, according to the support document. Advertisers must adhere to all other applicable local legal requirements, including national-level restrictions or stipulations beyond the scope of MiCA.
The same mandate will apply to the promotion of blockchain-based games that let players engage with non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
Crypto exchanges, wallet service providers, and blockchain game publishers also need to be certified by Google in order to be able to run ads, the announcement noted.
The search engine giant has finalised different compliance deadlines for crypto firms licensed in different EU nations. While Finland-based firms have until June 30 to adhere to Google's ad policy upgrades, the deadline for French companies is June 30, 2026.
“This transition period is designed to provide existing advertisers with sufficient time to align their operations with the new MiCA rules and to obtain the necessary MiCA licences,” the company said in the document.
Google, on identifying compliance lapses, will notify the concerned crypto firms seven days before initiating a suspension action.
The MiCA laws comprehensively cover preventative and risk mitigation steps linked to crypto-based activities like insider dealing, unlawful disclosure of inside information, and market manipulation. The EU wants to allow the sector to grow but reduce the financial risks crypto assets could pose to the investor community and the national financial stability.
Despite such detailed regulations, European authorities are not entirely convinced that crypto services are safe. Earlier this month, a senior official of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) said that despite the MiCA regulations, there is no such thing as a safe crypto asset.
In February, the ESMA also proposed staff assessment guidelines for crypto firms under the MiCA regulations to ensure that only well-informed personnel work with investors.
Owing to the EU's regulatory clarity, several crypto firms like BitPanda, OKX, and Crypto.com among others have rushed to acquire MiCA licences to expand businesses in the EU.
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