The European Union has extended its crypto sanctions to bar Belarusian nationals and residents from owning or controlling any firms licensed under the MiCA regulation from August 25. This move, announced on July 23, broadens an existing ban that previously applied only to wallet, account, and custody providers.
Under the Council Decision 2026/1847, Belarusian involvement is now prohibited in all crypto services covered by Regulation (EU) 2023/1114. These include exchanges, trading platforms, transfers, order execution, advice, and portfolio management across the EU.
The policy ties crypto licensing tightly with sanctions enforcement by overlapping MiCA compliance with ownership and governance restrictions. Entities must now ensure no Belarusian residents or nationals hold positions on governing bodies or exert control.
This regulatory tightening stems from Belarus's role in supporting Russia's war in Ukraine, as the EU aims to harmonize sectoral sanctions. The Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs highlighted the alignment of crypto sanctions with wider financial restrictions against Belarus and Russia.
The expanded ban takes effect a month after publication in the Official Journal, while the decision itself became active July 24. This leaves European crypto firms little time to adjust their ownership structures ahead of the deadline.
