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Tokenised securities vs crypto-assets: the legal difference

Quick answer

The line is not drawn by the technology but by the right the token embeds. If it represents a financial instrument (a share, a bond, a debt claim), it is a tokenised security and falls under MiFID II (Directive 2014/65/EU) and the LMVSI; MiCA does not apply. If it does not embed a right of that kind, it is a crypto-asset under MiCA. That classification governs the offering document, the register and the supervisor.

The deciding test: the right embedded

Two tokens can be identical in their technical layer and belong to opposite legal regimes. What matters is what the token represents to its holder. If it confers economic or governance rights equivalent to those of a transferable security (a stake in capital, in profits, or a debt claim), the token is the digital representation of a financial instrument. If it confers utility, access to a service, or works as a means of exchange without embedding those rights, it is a crypto-asset.

MiCA itself closes the overlap: it excludes from its scope crypto-assets that already qualify as financial instruments within the meaning of MiFID II. That exclusion is the hinge of the whole system (MiCA, Regulation (EU) 2023/1114, Art. 2(4); MiFID II, Directive 2014/65/EU).

Two regimes, two logics

  • Tokenised security: a financial instrument represented through distributed ledger technology. MiFID II and Ley 6/2023 apply; the law expressly allows securities to be represented through DLT-based systems, alongside book entries and physical certificates (Ley 6/2023, Spain's Securities Markets Law, LMVSI, BOE-A-2023-7053).
  • Crypto-asset: a digital representation of value or rights that is not a financial instrument. MiCA applies, with its own categories such as asset-referenced tokens, e-money tokens and other crypto-assets (MiCA, Regulation (EU) 2023/1114).

Practical consequence: prospectus versus white paper

Classification determines which disclosure document the issuer must publish.

  • Tokenised security: a public offer generally requires a prospectus approved by the supervisor, unless an exemption applies, for example where the amount does not exceed the applicable national threshold (up to EUR 8 million over twelve months) (Prospectus Regulation (EU) 2017/1129).
  • Crypto-asset: MiCA requires no prospectus but a white paper with prescribed content, which as a rule is notified to the competent authority without the prior approval that a prospectus requires.

Practical consequence: registration and custody

The registration layer also diverges.

  • Tokenised security: where it is represented on DLT, registration and recording fall to an ERIR (the entity responsible for the registration and recording of DLT-based securities), a figure created by the LMVSI. The ERIR must be an entity authorised to hold financial instruments in Spain, and the CNMV keeps the register of these entities (Ley 6/2023, LMVSI, BOE-A-2023-7053).
  • Crypto-asset: custody and administration are provided by crypto-asset service providers authorised under MiCA, with no ERIR involved.

Practical consequence: supervisor and conduct regime

  • Tokenised security: it sits within the securities-markets perimeter. MiFID II conduct, suitability and product-governance rules apply, along with supervision by the securities authority.
  • Crypto-asset: MiCA's own transparency, authorisation and supervision regime applies, distinct from the securities-markets one.

Grey areas and reclassification

Some tokens have a nature that is not obvious. A utility token that, in practice, promises returns or a share in results may be reclassified as a financial instrument, with the resulting change of regime. Classification is not set by the token's commercial name or its marketing description, but by its actual legal content towards the holder.

Frequently asked questions

Can a token be subject to both MiCA and MiFID II at once?

No. If the token is a financial instrument, MiCA excludes it from its scope and the securities regime applies. The regimes are alternative, not cumulative, precisely because of the exclusion in Article 2(4) of MiCA (MiCA, Regulation (EU) 2023/1114, Art. 2(4)).

What happens if I misclassify a token as a crypto-asset?

If the token was in fact a security, the offer will have breached securities-markets law: no prospectus where one was required, no ERIR, and none of the MiFID II conduct obligations. Misclassification does not cure the breach.

Is a stablecoin a tokenised security?

Generally no. Asset-referenced tokens and e-money tokens are categories governed by MiCA, not financial instruments, unless in a specific case they embed rights typical of a security (MiCA, Regulation (EU) 2023/1114).

Who decides the classification?

It is determined by the legal nature of the right embedded, in line with the MiFID II list of financial instruments, under the supervision of the competent authority. It is not the issuer's discretionary choice.

What this means for you

Before you design the issuance, analyse which right the token will embed towards the buyer. That answer settles, in one step, the offering document (prospectus or white paper), the registration infrastructure (an ERIR or a crypto-asset service provider) and the competent supervisor. Labelling the project as crypto does not avoid securities law if the right embedded is that of a financial instrument.

This content is for general information and educational purposes only. It is not legal, tax or investment advice and does not replace consultation with a qualified professional. Regulation on tokenisation and crypto-assets evolves; always check the version in force of the rules cited in the BOE (boe.es) and EUR-Lex (eur-lex.europa.eu).

Unknown Gravity

About the author

High-performance consulting specialized in Blockchain. Experts in tokenization.

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