What To Know:
- The government plans to introduce its first comprehensive cryptocurrency legislation by end-2026, aligned with the EU’s MiCA framework.
- Citizens would be permitted to hold and trade crypto assets, but digital currencies will not be recognized as a means of payment.
- Authorities stress crypto’s speculative nature while coordinating with financial and AML regulators to meet European standards.
Moldova is preparing to implement a regulated cryptocurrency law similar to the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) by the end of 2026. The country plans to introduce its first comprehensive crypto legislation, in line with MiCA to provide legal clarity for citizens while keeping digital assets outside the national payment system, according to Finance Minister Andrian Gavrilita.
Moldova to See MiCA-like Crypto Law
Speaking this week on state-owned TVR Moldova, Gavrilita said the government is working closely with financial regulators to create a legal framework that allows Moldovans to hold and trade crypto. Recognition as legal tender, however, remains off the table. For now, crypto will stay in the realm of ownership and exchange, not everyday transactions.
“We have the responsibility to regulate them, and it will be the right of citizens to hold these currencies,” Gavrilita said. He acknowledged that the process would take time, but views the effort as part of Moldova’s broader commitment to European integration. In his view, an outright ban is neither practical nor consistent with the country’s direction.
Until now, the country’s central bank has largely addressed crypto through warnings, repeatedly highlighting volatility, fraud, and money laundering risks. Those concerns remain central to the new plan. Drafting will be carried out jointly by the Finance Ministry, the National Bank of Moldova, the financial markets regulator, and the country’s anti-money laundering authority.
Under the current outline, citizens would be allowed to hold and transact cryptocurrencies, but businesses would not be permitted to accept them as payment for goods or services. Gavrilita stressed that he views crypto primarily as a speculative domain. He said he avoids calling it an investment, even as he defends the right of individuals to participate.
“I see them more as a speculative domain, but citizens have the right to operate them either way,” he said, adding that legislation is expected to move forward this year.
Notably, Moldova’s timing places it just over a year behind the European Union, which fully implemented MiCA for crypto-asset service providers on December 30, 2024. MiCA marked the EU’s first unified framework for crypto markets, setting standards for transparency, disclosure, authorization, and supervision. The regulation covers crypto-assets not already addressed by existing financial services laws, including asset-referenced tokens and e-money tokens.
For Moldova, these developments form the backdrop to its own policy choices. Gavrilita cited Estonia as an example of legislative simplicity, signaling interest in clear rules rather than complex experimentation. The country’s message is measured. Crypto ownership will be legalized and regulated. Payments will remain the domain of traditional money. Risk warnings will stay front and center.
On the other hand, the EU framework has continued to tighten in practice. Under MiCA’s latest implementation rules, issuers must submit white papers using the European Securities and Markets Authority’s iXBRL taxonomy. These filings are linked to Legal Entity Identifiers and stored in a centralized EU-wide register. PDF-only submissions no longer meet regulatory requirements.
That technical shift carries practical weight. Regulators can now automatically compare disclosures across issuers and countries, flag inconsistencies at scale, and build live views of token issuance and market exposure. Oversight begins with structured data queries, not manual document reviews. Firms with established governance and reporting systems are better positioned to comply, and smaller teams face higher upfront demands.
Across Europe, supervision remains a point of debate. In September 2025, France joined Austria and Italy in calling for ESMA to take direct oversight of major crypto firms. The push followed criticism of Malta’s licensing regime. Earlier that summer, ESMA published a peer review stating that Malta’s financial regulator only partially met expectations when authorizing a crypto service provider.
Also Read: Spain Sets 2026 Deadline for MiCA Licensing and Crypto Tax Reporting
