Moldova plans to introduce its first comprehensive cryptocurrency legislation by the end of 2026, aligning its rules with the European Union’s Market Regulation of Crypto Assets (MiCA) framework, the country’s finance minister, Andrian Gavrilita, said.
Gabriel he said In an interview with state-owned TVR Moldova on Wednesday, that the government is working with regulators to develop a legal framework that would allow citizens to hold and trade cryptocurrencies while not recognizing the digital asset as a means of payment.
“We have a responsibility to regulate them, and citizens will have the right to hold these currencies,” he said. “I’m not sure if we’ll make it through the next month, but that’s our engagement with the European Union. You can’t ban (cryptocurrencies.)”
The announcement comes more than a year after the full implementation of the EU’s MiCA framework, the first comprehensive regulatory framework for the crypto industry, which came into effect for crypto asset service providers on December 30, 2024.
The move would mark the first formal crypto law in Moldova. Its central bank issued numerous warnings on the volatility and money laundering risks associated with digital assets.
Related: Privacy is a ‘constant battle’ between blockchain stakeholders and the state
According to the plan, the draft law would be drafted jointly by the finance ministry, the National Bank of Moldova, the country’s financial markets regulator and its anti-money laundering body.
The law aims to legalize the holding and transactions of cryptocurrencies, but will not include provisions to legalize digital assets for payments within the country, Gavrilita said.
Related: EU mulls SEC-like oversight for stock exchanges, crypto exchanges to bolster startup landscape
Cryptocurrencies are a speculative domain, warns the Moldovan finance minister
Gavrilita repeatedly emphasized the speculative nature of cryptocurrencies during the interview. “I avoid using the term investment when it comes to cryptocurrencies,” he said.
“I see them more as a speculative area, but citizens have the right to manage them in any case, and this year we will have a law.”
While he did not provide any details on the upcoming law, he said that countries like Estonia serve as an example because of the “simplicity” of that country’s legislation.
Meanwhile, other countries balk at potential licensing loopholes in Europe’s MiCA framework.
In September 2025, France became the third European country to invite the Paris-based European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) to take over oversight of major crypto companies, joining Austrian and Italian securities regulators.
The move follows growing criticism of Malta’s cryptocurrency licensing regime. In July, ESMA announced a review of the Malta Financial Services Authority’s authorization of crypto service providers, saying the regulator had only “partially met expectations”.
Magazine: How Crypto Laws Changed in 2025 — and How They Will Change in 2026
About the Author
