French President Macron urges stricter EU crypto rules to curb crime

At a conference in Paris on financing terrorism, President Emmanuel Macron called for tighter regulation of cryptocurrencies, warning that without oversight the market could become a "new Wild West" for criminals and terrorists.

He referenced France’s existing digital‑asset framework introduced in 2019 and the forthcoming EU Markets in Crypto‑Assets (MiCA) regulation, noting that blockchain transactions can still be traced and that platforms have the ability to freeze funds linked to illicit activity. Macron urged European authorities to strengthen rules to ensure financial stability and prevent misuse by bad actors.