EU watchdog urges stricter cybersecurity rules for crypto platforms amid rising attacks
TheEuropeanSecuritiesandMarketsAuthority(ESMA)hascalledonEUlawmakerstostrengthencryptoregulationsbymandatingexternalcybersecurityauditsforcompaniesinthesector,theFinancialTimesreportedonOct.16. Thisrecommendationcomesasthecryptoindustryfacesanalarmingincreaseincyberattacks,whichareputtingconsumerprotectionsatrisk.Itispartofproposedamendmentstotheupcomingregulatoryregime. Mandatoryaudits InaproposaltoamendtheMarketsinCrypto-AssetsRegulation(MiCA),settobefullyenforcedinDecember2024,ESMAadvocatesforenhancedmeasurestosecurecryptoplatforms. Centraltotheproposalisarequirementforcompaniestoundergothird-partyauditstoassessandaddresspotentialcybersecurityvulnerabilities.ESMA’sappealhighlightstheneedfortightersafeguardsascybercriminalsincreasinglytargetthesector. ESMAarguedurgencyforaction,citingdatashowingthatmorethan$1.5billionwasstolenfromcryptoplatformsduringthefirsthalfof2024,an84%jumpcomparedtothesameperiodin2023. Recentincidents,suchasthe$52millionbreachofSingapore-basedexchangeBingXinSeptemberandthe$235millionhackofIndia’sWazirXinJuly,havefurtherillustratedtherisksfacingtheindustry. Pushback WhileMiCAhasalreadyintroducedlicensingrequirementsandanti-moneylaunderingprotocols,ESMA’spushformandatoryauditshasmetsomeresistance. TheEChasvoicedconcernsthattheproposalcouldgobeyondMiCA’sintendedscope.However,someregulatorsandindustryobserversarguethatthegrowingscaleandsophisticationofcyberattacksjustifyadditionaloversightmeasures. ThecallforenhancedcybersecurityregulationsisnotlimitedtoEurope.AreportfromtheEuropeanParliamentaryResearchService(EPRS)recentlyemphasizedtheneedforgreaterscrutinyofcryptooperationsbeyondtheEU,particularlyinregionsliketheUS,whereregulatoryframeworksremainlesscohesive. AstheMiCAregulationsapproachtheirfullimplementation,itremainstobeseenwhethertheEUwillembraceESMA’sproposedcybersecurityauditmandate.Nonetheless,thepushforstrictersecurityprotocolsreflectsabroaderglobalefforttostrengthenthecryptoindustry’sresilienceagainstcyberthreats,ensuringconsumerprotectioninanincreasinglyvolatilemarket. cryptoslate.com