Circle has secured an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) licence, enabling the issuance of dollar- and euro-pegged crypto tokens in the European Union. It's worth noting that the company will be able to issue these tokens under the Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) regulatory framework.

These events position Circle, known for its USDC stablecoin, as a new player in the EU's digital asset market, serving a population of 450 million across 27 nations according to coindesk.com. According to the same source, stablecoins play an important role in digital asset infrastructure, facilitating trading on exchanges and increasingly being used for transactions and remittances. With a USD 32 billion market cap, USDC is the second-largest stablecoin, following Tether's USDT which stands at USD 110 billion.

Circle's subsidiary, Circle Mint France, will issue the euro-denominated EURC stablecoin within the EU, alongside USDC. This move comes as some exchanges delisted euro-denominated stablecoins before the implementation of MiCA's rules on 30 June 2024, including Tether’s EURT. The MiCA framework reflects Europe's proactive approach to regulating stablecoins amid concerns over the entry of big tech firms into financial markets, such as Meta's Diem (formerly Libra) initiative.

Circle's head of policy noted that MiCA represents a culmination of five years of policy development, influenced in part by earlier industry initiatives like Libra. The regulatory environment under MiCA emphasises compliance and consumer protection, marking a shift away from previous leniencies in regulatory oversight. Other noteworthy developments from Circle In January 2024, Circle confidentially filed for a US initial public offering in a bid to become a publicly traded company.

The company refrained from disclosing specific details such as the number of shares to be offered or the proposed price range in the IPO filing. The IPO was anticipated to occur subsequent to the completion of the Securities and Exchange Commission's review process, contingent on market conditions and other factors, according to the company's statement cited by Reuters. .