Moldova plans to introduce its first comprehensive cryptocurrency law by the end of 2026, bringing its rules in line with the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework, the country’s finance minister said.
Finance Minister Andrian Gavrilita told state broadcaster TVR Moldova that the government is working with regulators to create a legal framework that would allow people to own and trade cryptocurrencies, while stopping short of recognizing them as a form of payment.
“We have a responsibility to regulate this sector, and citizens will have the right to hold cryptocurrencies,” Gavrilita said. “We cannot ban them, but we are working with the European Union to put clear rules in place.”
The plan would mark Moldova’s first formal crypto legislation. The law would be drafted jointly by the Finance Ministry, the National Bank of Moldova, the financial markets regulator and the country’s anti-money laundering authority.
Gavrilita said the proposed rules would legalize the holding and trading of digital assets, but would not allow their use for everyday payments. Moldova’s central bank has repeatedly warned about the risks linked to cryptocurrencies, including sharp price swings and potential money laundering.
The minister also stressed that crypto should be seen mainly as speculative. “I avoid calling them investments,” he said, adding that citizens still have the right to use them, and that legislation is expected this year.
The EU’s MiCA framework, which fully came into force at the end of 2024, is the first broad regulatory system for crypto in Europe. Moldova’s move follows that model as countries across the region continue to tighten oversight of the fast-growing digital asset industry.
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