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CySEC Adopts ESMA Guidelines For CASPs Under MiCA

Regulatory Update Drives Uniform Supervisory Practices

The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) has officially incorporated several guidelines from the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) that impact crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). With this initiative, CySEC’s circular outlines detailed expectations regarding transfer services, reverse solicitation, and portfolio management activities related to crypto-assets.

Clear Directives For Transfer Services

Issued on February 26, 2025, the ESMA guidelines on transfer services are grounded in Article 82(2) of MiCA. They are designed to instill consistency and efficiency within the European financial supervision system while reinforcing a uniform approach to applying MiCA’s provisions. Furthermore, the guidelines delineate robust procedures and client rights measures intended to heighten investor protection for CASPs involved in transferring crypto-assets.

Enhanced Transparency In Reverse Solicitation

CySEC also highlighted ESMA’s guidelines on reverse solicitation, introduced on December 17, 2024. Although these guidelines primarily target competent authorities, they serve as a critical reference for both existing and prospective CASPs. The circular draws attention to specific paragraphs and illustrative examples that elucidate circumstances under which a third-country firm might be deemed to be soliciting clients within the European Union.

Standardizing Portfolio Management Requirements

The third set of guidelines, released on March 26, 2025, addresses portfolio management activities. Based on Article 81(15) of MiCA, these standards require CASPs to adhere to defined requirements regarding the suitability of crypto-asset advice and the formatting of periodic statements. This move is aimed at fostering consistent application of several MiCA provisions, thereby ensuring that supervisory practices remain effective across the board.

Implementation Timeline And Executive Endorsement

All three sets of guidelines will take effect 60 calendar days following their publication on ESMA’s website in all official EU languages. The endorsement of these measures by CySEC Chairman George Theocharides underscores the sector’s commitment to transparency, regulatory coherence, and enhanced investor protection in the rapidly evolving crypto market.

Meta’s Muse Is Outpacing ChatGPT In Early Mobile Adoption, New Data Suggests

Meta’s new AI app, Muse, may be emerging as one of the company’s strongest consumer launches to date. Fresh estimates from market intelligence firm Apptopia suggest the app has outperformed ChatGPT in early mobile traction, at least in the U.S. and Canada.

According to Apptopia, Muse recorded more downloads in its first 12 days on the market than ChatGPT did during the comparable period after its mobile debut. The comparison, limited to the U.S. and Canada, puts Muse’s iOS downloads at 1.8 million versus 1.3 million for ChatGPT over the same initial window.

A Strong Early Start Across Platforms

In total, Muse has reached 2.8 million global installs in its first 12 days, according to the firm. The app’s momentum also appears to be holding. After debuting at No. 2 on the U.S. App Store, Muse has since climbed to No. 1, surpassing ChatGPT, according to reporting from Business Insider. Appfigures had previously estimated that Muse crossed 1 million downloads shortly after launch.

That early rise matters because app-store performance in the first days after launch often signals whether a product can sustain consumer attention beyond initial curiosity. In Meta’s case, the data suggests Muse is not simply benefiting from novelty; it is gaining ground quickly enough to challenge the category leader.

Daily Users Show Similar Momentum

Apptopia’s estimates point to another favorable comparison for Meta: daily usage. In the U.S. alone, Muse is said to have 642,000 daily active users, well above the 231,000 ChatGPT had at the same stage of its mobile rollout.

To make the comparison fairer, Apptopia also narrowed the analysis to iOS only, since ChatGPT launched on iPhone before expanding more broadly. Even under that tighter lens, Muse still comes out ahead, with 359,000 daily active users on iOS compared with ChatGPT’s earlier figure.

Why Meta Has An Advantage

Third-party estimates are not the same as internal company data, and Apptopia cannot see Meta’s proprietary numbers. Still, even directional data suggests Muse may be on track to become a meaningful consumer product for Meta.

That possibility is strengthened by Meta’s distribution advantage. The company has already demonstrated how powerful its ecosystem can be with Threads, which surpassed 500 million users after heavy promotion across Instagram and Facebook. Muse is likely to receive a similar boost, especially because it can connect across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

Apptopia does not track Meta’s internal promotion strategy, but its data indicates that more than 95% of Muse users are also Facebook users, while 63% are Instagram users. That overlap underscores how effectively Meta can move users across its products when it chooses to prioritize a launch.

The Strategic Test For Meta

For Meta, the early signal from Muse is less about one app’s download count than about whether the company can turn its scale into durable AI adoption. The first test is attention. The harder one is retention.

If Muse can convert early downloads into habitual use, Meta may have found a new front door into its AI ambitions. If not, the app risks becoming another example of how easily mobile hype can spike before settling back down.

Meta, which was asked for comment, has not yet released public figures on Muse’s early adoption.

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