This book focuses on the financial and economic law framework regarding virtual currencies or crypto-assets in Europe. It establishes a typology of virtual currencies or crypto-assets and assesses whether they can be considered as money. It analyzes whether the existing EU legal frameworks on electronic money, payment services, anti-money laundering, and markets in financial instruments can be applied to virtual currencies or crypto-assets. A functional comparison is made to the US, where more regulatory initiative has been identified.

This book focuses on the financial and economic law framework regarding virtual currencies or crypto-assets in Europe. It establishes a typology of virtual currencies or crypto-assets and assesses whether they can be considered as money. It analyzes whether the existing EU legal frameworks on electronic money, payment services, anti-money laundering, and markets in financial instruments can be applied to virtual currencies or crypto-assets. A functional comparison is made to the US, where more regulatory initiative has been identified.