Global Stablecoin Regulation

Ireland

Last Updated: May 20, 2026

Plasma

Last Updated: May 20, 2026

Ireland applies the EU’s MiCA regime with issuer rules for ART/EMT from 30 June 2024 and CASP authorisation from 30 December 2024; the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) is the national competent authority for authorising and supervising ART/EMT issuers and CASPs. Stablecoins are classified under MiCA as asset-referenced tokens (ARTs) or e-money tokens (EMTs) (not legal tender), with issuer obligations on reserves, disclosures, governance and redemption; crypto-asset transfers are also subject to the EU Transfer of Funds Regulation (“travel rule”) from 30 December 2024.

CBI — MiCAR hub

CBI — Guidance note for issuers of ARTs/EMTs (EN PDF)

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Legal Status

Legal

Regularity Clarity

5/5

Regime Status

In-Force

Allowed Types

Asset Referenced

Fiat Referenced

Classification

E-Money

Crypto Asset

In Ireland, stablecoins are classified under MiCA as e-money tokens (EMTs) when referencing a single official currency and asset-referenced tokens (ARTs) when referencing multiple assets; they are not legal tender. Issuers are authorised and supervised by the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) as the national competent authority, and EMT issuers must be credit institutions or electronic money institutions. Ireland’s pre-MiCA AML regime for VASPs (under the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Acts) is an AML registration framework and is separate from MiCA’s token classification.

CBI — MiCAR hub

CBI — Guidance Note for issuers of ARTs and EMTs (PDF)

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Regulatory Authorities

Central Bank of Ireland (CBI)

MiCA national competent authority for Ireland; authorises and supervises ART/EMT issuers and CASPs; AML/CFT supervisor for VASPs and regulated firms; designated competent authority for the EU Transfer of Funds Regulation.

FIU Ireland (Garda Síochána — GNECB)

National Financial Intelligence Unit receiving suspicious transaction reports and coordinating AML/CFT financial intelligence (law-enforcement function; not a prudential supervisor).

Top Issuers

Monerium (EURe)

SGForge (EURCV, USDCV)

AllUnity (EURAU)

Circle (USDC, EURC)

Paxos (USDG, USDP, PYUSD)

Consumer Protection

Reserve Requirements

ART issuers must hold a segregated reserve whose aggregate value is at least equal to outstanding tokens, with custody, composition, liquidity and valuation rules set in MiCA; EMT issuers safeguard customer funds and issue/redeem at par (significant EMTs also follow Article 36-style reserve rules).

Auditing

Independent reserve audit every six months (ARTs; also significant EMTs), with results notified and published; issuers must disclose material events affecting the reserve and maintain MiCA/EBA redemption plans.

Redemption Rights

EMTs: right to redeem at any time, at par value, in funds (not e-money). ARTs: permanent right of redemption (funds equivalent to the referenced assets’ value, or delivery of the assets), including stressed conditions.

Recent Developments

Remittance Race

Find the cheapest and fastest way to send money abroad, comparing traditional methods alongside stablecoin options like Plasma.