- Google will enforce MiCA-based crypto ad rules across the EU starting April 23 2025.
- To run ads, advertisers have to hold MiCA or CASP licenses and be certified by Google.
- Compliance time is varied by country with France, Germany and Finland allowed extended compliance time.
From April 23, 2025, Google will start enforcing stricter rules on how cryptocurrency services are promoted within the European Union. As per the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, advertisers of crypto exchanges and wallet services must now adhere to the rules.
The updated policy mandates licensing under MiCA or registration as a Crypto Asset Service Provider (CASP). In addition, advertisers have to abide by national legal requirements and Google certification prior to publishing ads. This move follows the implementation of MiCA across the EU in December 2024.
Transition Periods and Regional Differences
The new rules from Google apply in 27 EU countries, including France, Germany, Spain and Italy. It also introduces transition periods for three countries that already accept country-specific licenses. With the national licenses, advertisers in Finland can continue to operate until June 30, 2025. However, France has until June 30, 2026, and Germany until December 30, 2025. From these dates, the only licenses that will be valid for advertising crypto services will be covered by the MiCA license.
The idea is to give existing advertisers enough time to adapt to MiCA’s legal standards. However, immediate suspensions will not occur due to violations. If your account is suspended, Google will give you a warning at least seven days before.
This was the EU’s first unified digital asset framework introduced under the MiCA regulation. It looks at covering anti-money laundering (AML), consumer protections and all that is related to capital requirements for crypto service providers. The range of capital requirements is from €15,000 to €150,000 depending on the type of service offered.
Compliance Challenges for Smaller Crypto Firms
The new Google policy has raised concerns among smaller crypto firms. According to legal experts, MiCA and Google certification are likely to impose a dual burden on market access. It is especially difficult for firms with limited resources to bear compliance costs.
Bitget’s legal chief Hon Ng said that the policy helps exclude unregulated entities from advertising. He points out that MiCA improves safety through having addressed past frauds such as ICO scams. He cautioned that the rules could be too rigid if not implemented flexibly.
Ng noted that some companies could find a gap in enforcement since transition deadlines vary. He added that such exchanges could have difficulty meeting capital and bureaucratic requirements for compliance.
Other experts believe Google’s policy is more about legal protection than investor safety. Mattan Erder, general counsel at Orbs, said the real impact will depend on how burdensome MiCA and CASP processes become. He noted that high compliance costs might restrict competition and limit smaller firms’ participation.
The licensing framework of MiCA includes disclosure, transparency and consumer safeguard obligations. Following these rules is a requirement for advertisers to be eligible for Google’s platform. Certification revocation and ad suspension can result from failure to do so.
Google’s decision is part of a broader regulatory trend. Major platforms are traversing the risk of a legal loophole by aligning with national and local laws. This brings more weight to the formal registration and compliance picture of the crypto advertising market in the EU.
From April 23 onwards, the use of Google for promoting exchanges and wallets in the EU is only possible for certified advertisers who comply with the requirements of MiCA or CASP. Ads by existing advertisers in the three countries with transition periods must comply before each country’s deadline.
The change impacts digital advertising across Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
