Europe

Ten European banks, including ING and UniCredit, have set up an Amsterdam company to issue a euro-pegged stablecoin intended to challenge U.S. dominance in digital payments. The initiative signals a coordinated push by incumbent banks to reclaim payment rails and accelerate euro-based digital transactions.

Europe will appoint Giuseppe Lopez as head of Europol’s financial crime unit, signaling a stepped-up focus on anti-money-laundering enforcement that includes crypto. The move is expected to sharpen cross-border investigations and coordination with industry and analytics providers.

Reports say the EU's central banking apparatus quietly acquired Bitcoin despite ECB President Christine Lagarde earlier rejecting crypto for reserve portfolios. If confirmed, the purchase would raise questions about policy coherence and market signaling.

Aave will introduce zero-fee stablecoin on-ramps across Europe following the EU's MiCA approval, aiming to cut costs and accelerate DeFi onboarding. The protocol says compliant, audited payment pathways are essential to bring mainstream users into decentralized finance.

Luxembourg has become one of the first European states to allocate public funds directly to Bitcoin, and the finance minister suggested other nations will follow. The move marks a high-profile sovereign bet on crypto as a reserve asset.

The Czech Republic and Luxembourg have disclosed holdings of Bitcoin as strategic reserve assets, following recent sovereign moves abroad. Officials framed the allocations as a hedge against inflation and broader macroeconomic uncertainty.

Aave Labs has received MiCAR approval from Ireland's central bank to launch a zero-fee stablecoin on-ramp for users across the EU. The move clears a major regulatory hurdle and could lower friction for euro-denominated crypto flows.

Aave Labs has secured authorization from Ireland's central bank under the EU MiCAR rules to launch a zero-fee stablecoin on-ramp for European customers. The clearance allows Aave to offer regulated fiat-to-stablecoin access aimed at lowering entry costs for users.