“From Authorization to Supervision”: European Regulators Outline the Next Phase of MiCA as MERGE Madrid 2026 Concludes

European regulators used the close of MERGE Madrid 2026 to signal that MiCA implementation is shifting from licensing and authorization toward ongoing supervisory oversight of crypto firms. The three-day conference at the Palacio de Cibeles gathered traditional finance, blockchain, investment and regulatory leaders, with the transition framed as “from authorization to supervision.” The event underscored MERGE’s role as an institutional platform bridging traditional financial institutions and digital-asset markets across Southern Europe and Latin America. The emphasis on supervision matters because it signals that compliance burdens for licensed crypto firms will intensify rather than ease now that the authorization phase is largely complete. What to watch next is how national regulators translate the supervisory posture into concrete examination, reporting and enforcement expectations for MiCA-authorized entities.