According to the dYdX Foundation, adopting a usage-based structure for its token is a strategic move to influence its classification under the European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation. The foundation states that this model is designed to distance the DYDX token from being viewed as a speculative asset, instead aligning it more closely with an infrastructure-like utility token, which could have significant implications for its regulatory treatment and market accessibility within the EU.

According to FoxNews, Malta is rapidly becoming a key European Union hub for crypto exchanges by offering an expedited path to Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) licensing for major firms like OKX and Crypto.com, granting them access to the 30-nation European Economic Area (source: FoxNews). However, this "fast-track" approach, which leverages Malta's existing local crypto framework, has triggered significant concern among other EU regulators and industry professionals about potential "regulatory shopping" and insufficient oversight (source: FoxNews). Critics, including France's financial authority (AMF) and the CEO of Zondacrypto, have questioned the rigor of the process, with one comparing it to "ordering food in McDonald's" (source: FoxNews). For traders, this situation presents risk, as the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) is reportedly reviewing Malta's practices, and both OKX and Crypto.com have recent histories of multi-million dollar regulatory fines, which could create future volatility (source: FoxNews). In separate news, crypto lender Nexo (NEXO) announced an eight-figure sponsorship deal with Europe's premier golf tour, signaling aggressive expansion after re-entering the U.S. market (source: FoxNews).