🚨 Stablecoins banned 🚨🤯
Starting next month, major digital currencies like Tether will be removed from the European crypto market due to new EU regulations. This change is expected to significantly disrupt trading on European crypto exchanges.
Stablecoins, which are linked to real currencies like the US dollar or other cryptocurrencies, typically have less volatile prices. Tether (USDT), for example, is linked to the dollar. However, due to new EU requirements regarding capital and transparency, most of these stablecoins will be banned.
Tether, which currently holds 70% of its $160 billion market value, does not comply with the MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) Regulation. Consequently, it will disappear from the European Union next month and is already not tradable on several online platforms. Kraken still offers Tether, but it is considering a trading halt as well.
This ban will force European investors to seek other stablecoins, potentially disrupting market liquidity and stability. Steno Research warns that because the European market is the only one implementing such strict rules, this could isolate the EU. The CEO of Tether believes there is no resolution with the European Banking Authority.
Few stablecoins currently meet the new EU rules. Binance and other exchanges are looking to Circle’s USDC, the second-largest dollar stablecoin, which may capture the market. Circle also has a small euro-linked stablecoin, EURC. EUR CoinVertible from Societe Generale, one of the few approved stablecoins, may also become relevant despite its limited popularity.
Tether is not making efforts to comply with the new rules. Tether's CEO, Paolo Ardoino, stated that Europe is clearly not interested in Tether due to the restrictive regulations. The main issue is the capital and coverage requirements imposed by the EU, which mandate that 60% of the money Tether trades be held in EU banks to guarantee investors. Tether currently invests mostly in corporate bonds and other cryptocurrencies, earning interest income but posing risks for investors.
