Coinbase to Halt USDC Earn Program on MiCA Compliant Regions

Coinbase will halt rewards for USD Coin (USDC) holders located in the European Economic Area (EEA) on Dec. 1 due to the upcoming Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, according to an email sent to customers on Nov. 28. The exchange said the move is a result of the new requirements for e-money tokens, which is how stablecoins are labeled under MiCA. Users will continue accruing yield with their USDC balances until Nov. 30, with the value paid within the first 10 business days of December.

Coinbase’s USDC rewards program is available in over 100 jurisdictions. It generates daily yields over users’ USDC balances in the exchange, and the annual percentage yield (APY) varies depending on the user’s location. The MiCA rules for stablecoins have prompted multiple crypto firms in the EEA to make moves to adapt to the evolving landscape. Coinbase revealed in early October that it plans to remove all non-compliant stablecoins from its platform in jurisdictions where MiCA is effective.

Bitstamp delisted Tether’s euro-pegged stablecoin Tether EURt (EURt) for not meeting MiCA requirements, while Binance decided to limit services related to unregulated stablecoins in June. Stablecoin issuer Tether has also made moves to ensure regulatory compliance. On Nov. 18, the crypto company invested in the Dutch fintech company Quantoz to boost the creation of MiCA-compliant stablecoins EURQ and USDQ.

Additionally, Tether announced on Nov. 27 that it would halt support of its euro-pegged stablecoin EURt. Holders can redeem the tokens until Nov. 27, 2025. Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said the company will focus on other initiatives until a “more risk-averse regulatory framework” exists in Europe. He added that MiCA represents potential banking systemic risks.