MiCA Certification Programs for CASPs

The MiCA Inform Certificate (MIC) and MiCA Advise Certificate (MAC) reflect two distinct levels of regulatory competence, aligned with staff roles defined in Article 81(7) of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA).

MIC certifies that a person is competent to give information about crypto-assets or services. This includes explaining product features, risk warnings, or costs, but without offering personalized recommendations.

MAC certifies that a person is qualified to give advice, meaning they are authorized to provide personalized investment recommendations on crypto-assets or crypto-asset services. This triggers additional legal obligations under MiCA, such as suitability assessments.

Only MAC-certified staff may perform advisory functions. MiCA requires CASPs to clearly distinguish between these roles, both in practice and in internal policies, and to ensure that only qualified individuals act in either capacity.

MiCA and ESMA draw a regulatory line between these two functions:

Giving information means delivering factual, non-personalized details about a crypto-asset or service. This might include explaining a product's features, how a DLT network works, the risks of volatility, or the costs involved in using a service. It does not involve suggesting what a client should do.

Giving advice means offering a personal recommendation. For example, telling a client they should invest in Token A or recommending one product over another. As soon as an employee tailors guidance to a client's situation, it becomes advice, and MiCA suitability requirements apply.

Only MAC-certified staff may perform advisory functions. MiCA requires CASPs to clearly distinguish between these roles, both in practice and in internal policies, and to ensure that only qualified individuals act in either capacity.

Under ESMA Guideline 2, a person can qualify to give information about crypto-assets in one of two ways:

Path A: Complete a professional qualification of at least 80 hours (such as the MIC certification) and accumulate at least 6 months of supervised experience giving information to clients.

Path B: Accumulate at least 1 year of supervised experience, without the formal 80-hour qualification.

In both cases, the individual must demonstrate their knowledge and competence through an assessment, which may be administered internally or by an external body. The employer is responsible for ensuring this assessment is rigorous and covers all topics listed in Guideline 2, including risk communication, cost transparency, and fair client information standards.

Staff giving advice must meet higher criteria under ESMA Guideline 3. MAC candidates must pass an assessment and meet one of the following qualification and experience combinations:

• A relevant tertiary degree (e.g. in economics, finance, law) plus 1 year of supervised experience in crypto-asset advice.
• A secondary education qualification + 3 years of professional training (in a relevant area) plus 1 year supervised experience.
• A 160-hour professional training programme (such as MIC + MAC combined) plus 1 year of supervised experience.
• At least 2 years of prior experience giving MiFID II or IDD-compliant advice plus 6 months of supervised crypto-asset advisory experience.

Regardless of the route, the individual must demonstrate competence through both knowledge-based and practical assessments, particularly in areas such as suitability analysis, product comparisons, and regulatory disclosure.

Possibly not. ESMA allows firms to "grandfather" competence for existing staff who have been performing a relevant role for at least 1 year before the application of the guidelines.

For information-giving staff: at least 1 year of full-time experience giving information (with or without supervision).

For advice-giving staff: at least 1 year of full-time experience giving advice on crypto-assets or crypto-asset services.

The employer must document this experience and confirm that it covers all relevant knowledge areas. This is a one-time exception. New hires or those with less experience must follow the standard certification path.

MiCA requires ongoing learning:

MIC holders should complete at least 10 hours of CPD per year, covering regulatory changes, market developments, and emerging risks.

MAC holders are expected to complete at least 20 hours per year.

All CPD activities must include an assessment (such as a test, quiz, or demonstration of learning) and must be relevant to the individual's role. Employers are responsible for setting CPD expectations and tracking completion. External CPD bundles aligned with MiCA may be used to fulfill this requirement.

Firms must maintain documented evidence for each staff member involved in client-facing roles. This includes:

• Initial qualifications or certifications (e.g., MIC, MAC)
• Supervised experience records
• Results of assessments and exams
• CPD completion logs
• Clear role descriptions and competence mapping

Individuals demonstrate compliance by obtaining a recognized qualification (like MIC or MAC), completing supervised practice, and maintaining CPD. Firms are expected to ensure internal policies are in place to assess, update, and record competence annually.

Yes. MiCA allows staff to perform information or advisory functions under the supervision of a fully qualified individual, with safeguards:

• The supervising staff member must hold the appropriate certification and experience.
• Supervision must be structured and documented. The supervisor is responsible for all client-facing activity, including suitability assessments and reports.
• The supervised staff member must become fully qualified within 4 years. After that, supervision is no longer permitted.
• Firms must be able to demonstrate how supervision is conducted and how responsibilities are allocated.

CDAA® and CBA® are charterholder-style designations that showcase advanced, multidisciplinary expertise across digital assets, blockchain, and regulation. They are global, professional credentials, not tied to any specific regulation.

MIC and MAC are purpose-built compliance certifications, aligned directly with the ESMA guidelines under MiCA. They are designed to help firms meet legal obligations for staff competence.

Our 101 programs are introductory courses designed for newcomers to the crypto industry, providing foundational knowledge to help beginners understand the basics of digital assets and blockchain technology.

In short: CDAA/CBA demonstrate mastery across the industry. MIC/MAC demonstrate that you meet regulatory standards for legally interacting with clients in the EU under MiCA.

We provide the opportunity to resit the exam for a small exam administration and platform fee. A waiting period of 4 weeks applies before you can reattempt the examination.

You'll receive a detailed result report that helps identify specific knowledge gaps, allowing you to focus your learning and preparation more effectively for your next attempt. Firms may allow continued supervised work during this period, but unsupervised interaction with clients is not permitted until the assessment is passed.