ESMA published its 2025 Annual Report on 17 June, outlining a year shaped by tighter supervisory coordination across EU member states and early-stage implementation of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). The report signals a clear shift from policy design toward enforcement, with the authority now actively onboarding new mandates including consolidated tape provider selection and progress toward a T+1 settlement cycle.
For retail forex and CFD traders, the direction is unmistakable: ESMA is building toward more centralised, direct supervision of EU capital markets. The ongoing work on the Markets Integration and Supervision Package could expand ESMA's remit further, potentially tightening how national regulators license and oversee CFD providers. Traders using EU-regulated brokers should expect continued emphasis on transparency and investor protection — brokers holding CySEC, BaFin, or other EU national licences will face increasingly harmonised standards. Those choosing a broker for leveraged products in the EU should verify the firm's regulatory standing is current, as the supervisory landscape is actively shifting.
Source: [ESMA press release, 17 June 2026](https://www.esma.europa.eu/press-news/esma-news/esma-2025-annual-report-focus-stronger-supervision-regulatory-simplification)