Circle Secure French Registration: Conditional Approval for Digital Asset Services by AMF

Circle, a leading financial technology company and issuer of stablecoins USDC and EURC has secured a conditional registration as a Digital Asset Service Provider (DASP) in France from the country’s financial regulator, the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF). Circle’s move comes as the company strengthens its commitment to France and the European Union. In this article, we will explore Circle’s latest regulatory milestone and its plans for establishing a comprehensive EU regulatory platform.

Conditional Registration by France

The AMF has granted Circle a conditional registration as a DASP, which means that Circle must meet certain conditions before it can fully operate in France. These conditions include obtaining approval as a payment services provider (PSP) or registering as an agent of a PSP, which can be achieved by obtaining an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license.

DASP allows it to provide digital asset services to professional investors in France. These services may include buying, selling, and holding digital assets on behalf of clients, as well as facilitating the issuance and redemption of digital assets.

Coralie Billmann Role

Circle’s decision to appoint Billmann as Senior Vice President and Head of France is part of its broader strategy to establish a European regulatory platform. The company intends to obtain both a full DASP and Electronic Money Institution license under the rigorous standards set by the Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution (ACPR).

“The selection of France as our European regulatory base builds on the country’s clear rules for responsible innovation in fintech and digital assets, while leveraging France’s dynamic entrepreneurial, technological, banking and financial services ecosystem,”

Dante Disparte, Circle’s Head of Global Policy

By aligning its products and services with the forthcoming Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regime and leveraging France’s dynamic entrepreneurial, technological, banking, and financial services ecosystem, Circle aims to strengthen its position as a leading global financial technology platform.