Here’s what happened in crypto today

Today in crypto, European regulators added 14 crypto firms to the MiCA register in the second post-deadline licensing update, Balaji Srinivasan sought legal assurances from Malaysia following a government probe into Network School, Morgan Stanley’s E*TRADE expanded into spot crypto trading for retail investors.

ESMA adds 14 new CASPs to MiCA register as licensing slows

European authorities added 14 crypto companies to the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework register in the second post-deadline update, signaling a slower licensing pace after an initial surge.

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) updated its interim MiCA register on Thursday, bringing the total number of licensed crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) to 294.

The new entries include Ripple Payments Europe, the European payments arm of blockchain company Ripple, as well as Portugal-based Bison Bank and Croatia’s state-owned bank, Hrvatska poštanska banka (HPB).

The update follows ESMA’s previous register expansion on July 3, when the regulator added 37 CASPs in the first major post-deadline update after MiCA’s transitional period ended.

ESMA reported no changes to its registers for electronic money tokens (EMTs), a category of crypto-assets designed to maintain a stable value against a single official currency, or asset-referenced tokens (ARTs), which are linked to multiple assets such as currencies or commodities.

Balaji seeks Malaysia deal, threatens exit after Network School probe

Network School founder Balaji Srinivasan is seeking a memorandum of understanding with Malaysia after authorities probed his Forest City tech community over allegations it was hosting Israeli citizens using second passports. 

Malaysia’s Home Affairs Ministry said Tuesday it was investigating Srinivasan’s start-up community in Johor following claims it included Israelis in violation of immigration laws. Initial checks found all 266 foreigners held valid documents. 

Srinivasan said the agreement would give Network School legal certainty to continue investing in Malaysia. Without it, he said, the community could take its capital to countries that are more welcoming. 

“I’d like to have a document which says not just abstractly that tech is welcome … but rather that we’re personally welcome,” Srinivasan said in a video directed at Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday. 

Morgan Stanley’s E*TRADE expands into spot crypto trading with Zero Hash

Morgan Stanley’s E*TRADE has rolled out spot cryptocurrency trading for eligible retail clients, enabling them to buy, sell and hold Bitcoin, Ether and Solana through a partnership with crypto infrastructure provider Zero Hash.

The launch integrates crypto holdings alongside stocks and other traditional investments on the E*TRADE platform, with support for digital asset transfers expected later this year. The self-directed brokerage serves 8.6 million households and manages about $1.56 trillion in client assets as of March 31. Trades incur a 50-basis-point fee, while custody is provided through separate Zero Hash accounts that are not protected by FDIC or SIPC insurance. Morgan Stanley said it plans to migrate custody services to its Morgan Stanley Digital Trust once operational.

The rollout follows a limited pilot launched in May and marks another step in Morgan Stanley’s broader digital asset strategy. This year, the bank has expanded into stablecoin reserve services and launched a spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund.