NEWS Digital Asset Summit
ESMA sets new supervisory standards under MiCA
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has issued new guidance to strengthen crypto market oversight, marking a significant step in the rollout of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). On 29 April, ESMA issued a public statement outlining new guidelines standardising supervisory practices among national European authorities establishing a harmonised approach to monitoring market integrity. MiCA was introduced to provide a pan-European framework for digital assets. It is designed to bring clarity and consistency to regulatory oversight.
Unlike trad-fi instruments, crypto assets are still operating in uncertain regulatory landscapes with new legislation, regulations and statutory instruments being introduced /drafted in real time. “The objective is to build a common supervisory culture for crypto assets,” ESMA noted in its statement, urging authorities to engage in dialogue with industry players and adopt a coordinated enforcement approach across member states. The guidelines will take effect three months after their official EU-wide publication, but ESMA is encouraging regulators to begin implementation immediately.
Select marketing BCB Group’s CMO Sam Shrager been selected to join the RiseUp’25 European Academy at Money 20/20 in Amsterdam. RiseUp at Money20/20 is an annual global program aimed at championing diversity across the financial sector. Applicants selected for the academy have access to exclusive sessions and networking events at Money 20/20 and a year of mentoring by financial sector leaders. Shrager, who has headed BCB’s marketing function since 2019, said: “BCB has always been incredibly supportive, and women are well- represented at the senior levels of the company. But we are under- represented in the wider financial and fintech sectors and RiseUp is a great programme for nurturing talent and increasing the diversity of our industry.” The 25 women selected for RiseUp at Money 20/20 Amsterdam include executives from global banks and technology groups, as well as smaller fast-growing companies. RiseUp selected its first cohort in 2018 and since inception, more than 175 women have been selected for the academy. Surveys of previous cohorts found that 95% felt it helped progress their careers and 99% said they would recommend the programme. BCB Group’s Head of Banking and Strategic Partnerships, Claire Barratt, is also an almuna of the programme. Within two months of publication, national authorities will need to declare their compliance status to ESMA, indicating whether they intend to follow the guidelines or require additional adjustments. The new guidance follows ESMA’s Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) and is tailored to address crypto-specific risks, such as cross- border trading complexities and social media-driven price movements. Supervisors will be encouraged to adopt risk-based enforcement strategies, ensuring that oversight remains proportionate to market conditions.
Vincendon named as new product chief and financial services.
“BCB is very much at the interface between digital assets and payments, which is where my own career journey has brought me. It feels like the right challenge in terms of size and in terms of people. Everyone at BCB is here
for the right reasons - to build something important in this sector,” said Vincendon.
Tim Renew, Deputy Chief Executive at BCB, said: “Valentin is a perfect fit for BCB. His experience in digital and tradfi matches our own focus, and when you meet him, you just know he will bring enormous energy to the company.” Vincendon said there was an enormous range of product opportunities for BCB but singled out stablecoin and yield-bearing assets as significant opportunities over the coming year. He also placed significant importance on nurturing BCB’s collaborative business culture. “A product team needs to work well with every part of a company and that is something where I think I can make a significant impact,” Vincendon said. Prior to joining BCB, Vincendon was Chief Product Officer at Copper.co. His previous experience includes roles as VP Strategy at Checkout.com and Head of Product at Dolfin. He has also been an investor and adviser to several scale-up companies in both technology and financial services.
Valentin Vincendon
BCB Group has appointed Valentin Vincendon as Chief Product Officer to manage its rapidly expanding product pipeline. Vincendon, who will take the position this month (June), has a wide range of experience at digital assets businesses as well as roles in management consultancy
Interview page 18
04
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker