Before getting into a taxi, you can check the license number on its plate. Something similar applies to a crypto exchange from July 1, 2026: either it has a MiCA license and appears in a public register, or it cannot offer you its services in Spain. It takes five minutes to check.
🔹 The Bank of Spain register is no longer useful. It was created under anti-money laundering legislation, did not supervise financial, operational or security risks, and closed on July 1, 2026. Today, it is only of historical value.
🔹 Step 1, the CNMV: under “Search official registers,” in the “Crypto-asset service providers” section, there’s a PDF with the legal name, type of entity, authorized services, and the date from which it can operate in Spain. As of November 13, it lists nearly 200 entities.
🔹 Step 2, ESMA: the provisional MiCA register is published as a CSV every week. CASPS.csv lists authorized providers (404 companies), and NCASP.csv lists entities flagged for operating without complying with MiCA (216 rows).
🔹 Step 3, the European passport: if the license is from another EU country, check that Spain is listed among its countries of service (“ES” in ESMA, “PSC under the LP regime” at the CNMV).
🔹 Step 4: the legal name in your terms and conditions must match the register letter for letter, and the domain must match too. MiCA protection covers the authorized entity, not other companies in its group.
🔹 Step 5: check the CNMV’s search tool for warned entities.
In my opinion, this is the most useful exercise any Spanish user can do today. That said, it’s worth knowing what the license does and doesn’t provide. It requires firms to segregate your assets, sign a custody agreement, and handle complaints free of charge, but no compensation scheme will refund your money if the exchange goes bankrupt or suffers a theft. And it won’t protect you from a price drop either.
Informational content, not an investment recommendation.
Full analysis at territorioblockchain.com