Share this article

EU Official: We Can't Regulate Libra Without More Details

The European Union is still trying to figure out what to do about Libra, according to a new memo.

Updated Sep 13, 2021, 12:19 p.m. Published Feb 19, 2020, 8:03 p.m.
Despite sending the Libra Association multiple questionnaires, the EU doesn't have enough information yet to proceed, says EC Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis. (Image via Alexandros Michailidis/Shutterstock)
Despite sending the Libra Association multiple questionnaires, the EU doesn't have enough information yet to proceed, says EC Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis. (Image via Alexandros Michailidis/Shutterstock)

The European Union is still trying to figure out what to do about Libra, according to a memo released Tuesday by European Commission Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the State of Crypto Newsletter today. See all newsletters

The indecisiveness stems from a lack of actionable information. Specifically, Libra “lacks detail,” according to Dombrovskis.

Despite repeatedly asking the Facebook-launched Libra Association for information about its payments ecosystem and eponymous stablecoin, the Commission – the EU's executive branch – has yet to determine what, exactly, Libra is.

“As Libra is still a project, and thereby a moving target, the information provided remains insufficient for determining the precise nature of Libra and, by extension, its relation with existing EU law," he said.

But he said the Commission wants to “act swiftly” in creating regulations for Libra, stablecoins and other EU crypto-asset projects. This reaffirms the Commission’s Dec. 5, 2019, declaration that it will police stablecoins and their “risk” to financial stability.

Libra faced regulatory backlash after it was announced last year, with lawmakers and agencies worldwide calling for a halt to its development until the Facebook-led project could be scrutinized.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said the Libra Association, which formed its own governing council with 20 companies in mid-October, will wait until regulators are comfortable before launching.

Zuckerberg said in testimony before a U.S. congressional committee last year that Facebook would withdraw from the project if the association chooses to launch before securing regulatory approvals.

More For You

Pudgy Penguins: A New Blueprint for Tokenized Culture

Pudgy Title Image

Pudgy Penguins is building a multi-vertical consumer IP platform — combining phygital products, games, NFTs and PENGU to monetize culture at scale.

What to know:

Pudgy Penguins is emerging as one of the strongest NFT-native brands of this cycle, shifting from speculative “digital luxury goods” into a multi-vertical consumer IP platform. Its strategy is to acquire users through mainstream channels first; toys, retail partnerships and viral media, then onboard them into Web3 through games, NFTs and the PENGU token.

The ecosystem now spans phygital products (> $13M retail sales and >1M units sold), games and experiences (Pudgy Party surpassed 500k downloads in two weeks), and a widely distributed token (airdropped to 6M+ wallets). While the market is currently pricing Pudgy at a premium relative to traditional IP peers, sustained success depends on execution across retail expansion, gaming adoption and deeper token utility.

More For You

SEC clarifies rules for tokenized stocks, tightening scrutiny on synthetic equity

SEC headquarters (Nikhilesh De/CoinDesk)

The agency says issuer approval is required for true tokenized ownership, warning that many stock tokens sold to retail investors provide only indirect or synthetic exposure.

What to know:

  • The Securities and Exchange Commission issued new guidance clarifying that tokenized stocks are subject to existing securities and derivatives rules, regardless of whether they are recorded on a blockchain.
  • The agency drew a sharp line between issuer-sponsored tokenized securities, which can represent true equity ownership, and third-party products that typically provide only synthetic exposure or custodial entitlements.
  • Regulators signaled they aim to curb the spread of synthetic equity products to retail investors while encouraging issuer-approved, fully regulated tokenization structures.