EBA designates Circle’s USDC as the EU’s first 'significant' e-money token

The European Banking Authority said Wednesday that it has classified USDC as a "significant" e-money token under the Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation, making it the first of the 45 EMTs notified in the bloc to meet that threshold.

According to an official statement, the EBA will now take direct responsibility for supervising USDC’s own funds, reserve assets, liquidity requirements, and recovery and redemption plans from Nov. 12. These areas are currently overseen by France’s Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution (ACPR), but the regulator will still handle governance, qualifying holdings, fit and proper assessment, and conflicts of interest after the EBA takes over. 

The EBA also said it signed a memorandum of understanding with the New York State Department of Financial Services, which oversees Circle's New York-regulated operations. The MoU will facilitate cross-border oversight and information exchanges between the two authorities. 

USDC is the world’s second-largest stablecoin, with a supply of nearly $73 billion, according to The Block’s data dashboard. Tether’s USDT leads the market with $184 billion in circulation, against a total supply of $294 billion for dollar-pegged stablecoins.

Circle has expanded USDC’s commercial reach this year. In September, Binance purchased $100 million of Circle shares and agreed to a five-year arrangement to promote USDC on its platform. Circle also signed a sponsorship deal with Chelsea FC in August, making USDC a prominent feature on the club’s shirts for the 2026/27 season.