The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has finalized guidelines for the implementation of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), set to take effect on December 30, 2024. This comprehensive framework aims to enhance investor protection, prevent market abuse, and clarify the classification of crypto-assets across EU member states. While it primarily targets centralized services, ESMA is also monitoring decentralized finance (DeFi) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for potential future regulation.