Crypto & Digital-Asset Regulators — 34 Global Authorities Explained
Directory of 34 financial regulators shaping crypto and digital-asset policy worldwide — the SEC, CFTC, MiCA's ESMA/EBA, FCA, MAS, FINMA, VARA and more, with mandates, crypto frameworks, and notable actions.
United States 10
US regulator of derivatives markets including futures, swaps, and options. Considers Bitcoin and Ether as commodities. Has pursued enforcement against crypto exchanges and DeFi…
Independent US agency insuring bank deposits and supervising state non-member banks. Was central to 'Operation Chokepoint 2.0' allegations of restricting crypto banking;…
US central bank responsible for monetary policy, bank supervision, and financial stability. Supervises bank holding companies' crypto activities and has issued guidance on…
Self-regulatory organization overseeing US broker-dealers under SEC supervision. Regulates broker-dealer crypto activities including special purpose broker-dealers for digital…
US federal tax collection agency. Treats cryptocurrency as property for tax purposes since 2014 Notice 2014-21. Finalized 1099-DA broker reporting rules for custodial exchanges…
Treasury office administering US economic and trade sanctions. Has aggressively expanded sanctions to crypto addresses, mixers, and protocols. Tornado Cash designation became…
Bureau of the US Treasury chartering and supervising national banks and federal savings associations. Issued landmark interpretive letters permitting national banks to custody…
US federal agency overseeing securities markets, investor protection, and market structure. Has driven major crypto enforcement under the Howey Test, including cases against…
Federal department prosecuting criminal violations including crypto-related fraud, money laundering, and sanctions violations. Led major cases against FTX, Binance, BitMEX,…
US executive department managing federal finances, sanctions policy, and financial regulation coordination. Houses FinCEN, OFAC, and OCC. Leads US stablecoin policy and digital…
European Union & Europe 8
France's stock market regulator administering the PSAN (Prestataires de Services sur Actifs Numériques) regime — Europe's first comprehensive crypto licensing framework adopted…
Dutch financial markets authority supervising conduct of financial firms. Joint MiCA NCA with De Nederlandsche Bank. Previously administered AML registration regime that drove…
Spain's securities markets supervisor overseeing investment services and market conduct. National competent authority for MiCA (with Banco de España for stablecoins). Enforces…
Luxembourg's integrated financial supervisor overseeing banks, investment funds, and PFS. Hosts major crypto firms leveraging Luxembourg's fund infrastructure. National MiCA…
EU regulator ensuring effective and consistent prudential regulation across European banking. Lead authority on MiCA Title III/IV stablecoins (ARTs and EMTs), governance,…
The EU's financial markets regulator and MiCA's EU-level coordinator: publishes the CASP register and white-paper lists, issues guidelines, and drives supervisory convergence…
Central bank of the 20-country Eurozone, responsible for monetary policy and supervising significant Eurozone banks via the SSM. Leading the digital euro project and…
Malta's single financial regulator. Pioneered comprehensive crypto framework via Virtual Financial Assets Act (VFA) in 2018, branding Malta the 'Blockchain Island'. Now…
United Kingdom 2
UK's central bank responsible for monetary policy, financial stability, and payment system oversight. Leading systemic stablecoin regulation regime (alongside FCA) and…
UK's conduct regulator for financial services and markets. Operates strict cryptoasset AML registration regime since 2020 with very high rejection rate. Implementing…
Switzerland 1
Asia-Pacific 5
Australia's integrated corporate and financial services regulator. Treats many crypto products as financial products requiring AFSL licensing. Approved spot Bitcoin ETFs in…
Australia's financial intelligence unit and AML/CTF regulator. Operates Digital Currency Exchange (DCE) registration regime since 2018 under AML/CTF Act. Major enforcement…
Japan's integrated financial regulator. World's first to formally license crypto exchanges via 2017 Payment Services Act amendment after Mt. Gox. Maintains strict capital,…
Hong Kong's central banking institution and banking supervisor. Drives stablecoin licensing (Stablecoins Ordinance 2025) and tokenization through Project Ensemble. Co-leads…
Singapore's integrated central bank and financial regulator. Operates rigorous Digital Payment Token licensing under the Payment Services Act since 2019. Balances…
Middle East 4
UAE's central bank responsible for monetary policy, banking supervision, and payments. Regulates dirham-backed stablecoin issuance under Payment Token Services Regulation (June…
Regulator of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) free zone. Operates a Crypto Token regime (since 2022) for recognised tokens and Investment Token regime for…
UAE federal securities and commodities regulator with jurisdiction across all emirates outside the financial free zones. Operates virtual asset framework alongside VARA (Dubai)…
World's first dedicated virtual asset regulator, established by Dubai law in 2022. Operates comprehensive activity-based licensing covering exchanges, custody, broker-dealer,…
Latin America 1
International & Standard-setters 3
International organisation of 60+ central banks fostering cooperation on monetary and financial stability. Hosts the Basel Committee, CPMI, and BIS Innovation Hub. Drives…
Network of innovation centres operated by BIS in partnership with central banks across Switzerland, Singapore, Hong Kong, London, Stockholm, Frankfurt/Paris, Toronto, and the…
International body coordinating national financial authorities and standard-setting bodies on financial stability. Issues high-level recommendations on global crypto-asset…