Five Governments That Clarified Crypto Licensing In 2025
For years, the cryptocurrency industry has operated under a patchwork of conflicting regulations — at times banned outright, at others welcomed with arms wide open and often left uncomfortably in between. But 2025 marked a notable shift toward greater regulatory clarity in several major jurisdictions, as governments moved away from ambiguity and toward more structured cryptoasset frameworks.
Five key jurisdictions recognized that clarity and accessibility in crypto licensing can coexist with consumer protection and financial integrity. The result has been a new generation of streamlined frameworks that balance innovation with oversight, making it easier for legitimate projects to launch and operate.
This shift matters because regulatory clarity has become a critical factor for long-term planning. When entrepreneurs know exactly what is required, how much it will cost and how long it will take, they can plan strategically instead of navigating legal uncertainty. When regulators provide clear pathways, they lower compliance friction while strengthening their ability to supervise the ecosystem.
From the passage of the GENIUS Act in the US to the full rollout of Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) in the European Union, 2025 marked a reduction in regulatory uncertainty. We analyzed the global regulatory landscape to identify five governments that made notable efforts to simplify, streamline and clarify crypto licensing during the year.
For years, the United States has been among the most challenging jurisdictions for crypto entrepreneurs to navigate. A strategy often described as “regulation by enforcement,” in which regulatory expectations were clarified primarily through litigation, contributed to uncertainty and pushed significant innovation offshore. That approach shifted in July 2025 with the passage of the GENIUS Act.
The legislation established the first comprehensive federal framework for stablecoins. It addressed long-standing uncertainty around the treatment of stablecoins under commodities and securities law, which had created friction across the industry. It also marked a shift in banking policy, as regulators revised earlier approaches that had limited crypto firms’ access to the traditional financial system.
The GENIUS Act introduced a clear federal pathway for stablecoin issuers. It reduced reliance on a fragmented system of state-level money transmitter licenses by setting out a unified federal framework. For the first time, crypto-native fir
Source: CoinTelegraph
