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07/19/2026

France Blocks Polymarket, EU Adds 14 Crypto Firms to MiCA Register

What happened: France's National Gambling Authority (ANJ) ordered internet service providers to block Polymarket, escalating its previous 2024 payments ban after enforcement proved ineffective.

France Blocks Polymarket, EU Adds 14 Crypto Firms to MiCA Register

What happened: France's National Gambling Authority (ANJ) ordered internet service providers to block Polymarket, escalating its previous 2024 payments ban after enforcement proved ineffective. The move comes as French traffic to Polymarket reached 578,751 visits last month. Simultaneously, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) added 14 new crypto asset service providers (CASPs) to its MiCA register, including Ripple Payments Europe, Bison Bank (Portugal), and Hrvatska poštanska banka (Croatia), bringing the total to 294 registered entities. Separately, Balaji Srinivasan is in discussions with Malaysian authorities over immigration issues tied to his Network School project in Forest City, amid Malaysia's announcement it would deport any Israeli involved in the commune.

Why it matters: The Polymarket block is part of a broader European crackdown on prediction markets, following similar moves in Spain and pending CFTC rules in the US. The expansion of the MiCA register signals accelerating regulatory integration for crypto firms across the EU, with established financial entities like Ripple and Bison Bank now officially recognized. The Network School controversy highlights ongoing geopolitical and regulatory tensions for crypto entrepreneurs operating globally.

Source: Cointelegraph