ESMA prioritizes tokenization in its 2027 work plan

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) confirmed on September 28, 2026, that tokenization will be a priority in its annual work plan for 2027. The regulator aligned the plan with its multiannual strategy for 2023-2028, highlighting a shift towards the execution of various initiatives. Verena Ross, chair of ESMA, stated that 2027 will be a significant milestone for the Savings and Investment Union (SIU) with the transition of strategic initiatives to the execution phase. The entity also emphasized the importance of distributed ledgers and the expanded opportunities that tokenization can offer to EU capital markets. Additionally, advancements in crypto-assets and the impact of artificial intelligence on financial markets were announced, focusing on strengthening cybersecurity and implementing analytical tools for supervision. On September 23, 2026, ESMA established a new Strategic Supervisory Priority on digital innovation, assessing the use of artificial intelligence and tokenization tools by supervised entities. This directive will work alongside existing digital security regulations, seeking to balance technological adoption with market safeguards. The 2027 Program also includes the standardization of control criteria over digital asset intermediary companies and the supervision of crypto-asset service providers under MiCA. Furthermore, there are plans to advance the centralized market surveillance system for crypto-assets (MIDAS) with larger-scale computing tools.

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