Every month we bring you the most essential updates from Europe’s crypto scene. From the ECB’s digital euro plans to corporate bitcoin adoption and retail payment breakthroughs.

Two-factor authentication (2FA) remains one of the most effective ways to protect online accounts. Yet not all 2FA methods offer the same level of protection.

As the European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation comes into effect, crypto exchanges are setting up shop in Europe to secure licenses and capitalize on the region's growing institutional involvement. Major exchanges have already secured licenses under MiCA, which provides a clear regulatory framework and fosters stability.

CBDCs are rapidly reshaping our financial landscape, with over 87 countries currently exploring or implementing these digital currencies - representing an astounding 90 % of the global GDP. In fact, China's digital yuan alone processed transactions worth 7 trillion yuan (approximately $986 billion) by June 2024, nearly quadrupling from the previous year. We're witnessing a dramatic shift as central banks race to digitize their currencies. As a result, more than 70% of financial institutions are actively researching CBDC implementations, and by 2028, experts predict that 40% of central banks will have launched their own digital currencies.

Blockchain interoperability remains one of the biggest challenges in crypto, with most blockchain networks currently operating in isolation from each other. This limitation has become a significant barrier to widespread adoption of blockchain technology. In fact, while platforms like Cosmos and Polkadot were once valued at hundreds of billions of dollars for their vision of connecting different blockchains, they've faced considerable challenges in achieving mainstream adoption. The main reason? Their requirement for chains to support specific architectures has made it difficult for existing networks like Ethereum to seamlessly join their ecosystems.

Europe is quickly emerging as a global crypto leader. The continent’s first Bitcoin treasury firm has expanded its holdings beyond $170 million, while an institutional investor has made the first direct purchase of tokenized real estate via MetaWealth. With the MiCA framework driving adoption, Europe has now surpassed the US in crypto uptake. Despite warnings from the ECB, the European Commission downplays stablecoin risks — a stance that may have supported the BaFin-approved launch of EURAU, a MiCA-compliant euro stablecoin by Deutsche Bank and DWS. Meanwhile, crypto cards are beginning to outperform traditional banks in Europe’s growing micro-spending economy.

Byznysy po celém světě začínají rychle přijímat kryptoměnové platby. Více než 15 000 velkých společností, včetně Apple, Walmartu a Disney, již akceptuje digitální měny. Až 44 % podniků integrovalo kryptoměny do svých B2B transakcí, což signalizuje začátek hyperbitcoinizace. Nevyhnutelného přechodu od tradičních finančních systémů k ekonomice založené na bitcoinu.

DeFi has experienced explosive growth, surging from less than $1 billion in 2020 to an astounding $110 billion by 2025. While this rapid expansion shows the tremendous potential of decentralized finance, we can't ignore that DeFi protocols lost $3.1 billion to hackers in 2022 alone.

After a month, KvaPay once again brings you the most important news from the European cryptocurrency world. Adoption across Europe continues to grow and bitcoin is entering the last phase of its cycle. The European Union, on the other hand, is haunted and wants to introduce the digital euro.

Cryptocurrency Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals are devices or systems that enable businesses to accept cryptocurrency payments from customers. These systems integrate blockchain technology into the payment process, allowing for secure, fast, and efficient transactions while often reducing costs compared to traditional payment methods.

Bitcoin investment history reached a milestone with spot Bitcoin ETFs getting approved. Traditional investors can now access Bitcoin through regulated exchange-traded funds without needing crypto exchanges or digital wallets.

Buying Bitcoin used to require complex exchanges and technical knowledge. However, Bitcoin ATMs have changed this reality by bringing cryptocurrency transactions to street corners and shopping centers worldwide.