Ireland: FinTech

European securities regulators are launching a comprehensive assessment of crypto-asset service providers' digital operational resilience, with a particular focus on custody activities and distributed ledger technology risks. The exercise will examine how firms manage critical areas including key storage, transaction controls, incident response, and third-party dependencies under the newly enforceable Digital Operational Resilience Act.

The Central Bank of Ireland has issued comprehensive guidance on prohibition notices under its fitness and probity regime, while simultaneously releasing its second payment and e-money newsletter addressing critical compliance matters. These publications coincide with the second edition of the Financial Crime Bulletin, which emphasizes escalating fraud risks and the evolving AML/CFT supervisory framework across Ireland's financial services sector.

Prediction markets are rapidly expanding from niche financial instruments to mainstream retail products, but their regulatory classification across EU jurisdictions remains uncertain. Are these event contracts financial instruments under MiFID, crypto-assets under MiCAR, or gambling products subject to national betting laws? The answer depends on product structure, underlying events, and jurisdiction, creating significant compliance challenges for operators seeking to scale across Europe.

Ireland's implementation of AIFMD 2.0 brings significant regulatory changes for alternative investment funds, alongside evolving requirements for ESG disclosure and board effectiveness. The Central Bank of Ireland explores emerging opportunities in distributed ledger technology, tokenisation, and artificial intelligence while addressing future modifications to venture and growth capital fund regulations.

The Central Bank of Ireland's Deputy Governor addresses the critical balance between maintaining robust capital requirements and fostering competition in the banking sector, while the European financial regulatory landscape continues to evolve through new guidelines on anti-money laundering cooperation, capital requirements, and sustainable finance implementation.

Arthur Cox LLP presents key regulatory developments in European financial services for May 2026, covering the final compromise texts for PSD3 and PSR, the Central Bank of Ireland's integration of crypto-asset...

On 29 January 2026, the Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland (Central Bank) signed the Central Bank Reform Act 2010 (Sections 20 and 22) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (PCF Regulations) (see here)...

The European Data Protection Board (“EDPB”) recently published its Annual Report for 2025 (the “Report”). The Report includes an overview of the EDPB’s activities throughout 2025...

The transition period ends on 2 March 2026 and the recent EBA opinion may be relevant to crypto asset service providers...