With the implementation of MiCA rules in Europe in the first quarter of 2025, crypto media faced sharp traffic declines. According to an Outset report, over 80% of publications experienced a drop in visits.
Introduction
The MiCA rules, while primarily targeting crypto service providers, also affected media platforms, especially those running paid posts or affiliate links. In January, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) warned that even editorial content must avoid investment discussions without proper licenses.
Situation in Germany
Germany had 34 crypto media outlets at the beginning of the year, with 21 of them seeing traffic declines by February. The regulator BaFin issued warnings about unauthorized 'investment-like' promotions, leading to traffic drops for Coin-Update by 51%, Krypto Magazin by 45%, and Cointelegraph Germany by 63%. Only a few sites, such as BitcoinBlog.de, managed to increase traffic through better legal tagging.
State of Crypto Outlets in France and Other Countries
In France, most of the 25 crypto media outlets also saw traffic losses, including Blog with a 72% drop and Coinhouse with around 40%. However, some outlets like Blockchain France and InvestX showed significant growth by applying compliance tools and clear risk language. Similar situations held in Spain and Italy, where over 70% of media faced traffic declines. In the UK, even without new MiCA rules, local outlets suffered pressures from the FCA.
By 2025, 81.61% of crypto-native publishers in Europe experienced traffic loss, highlighting the impact of regulatory norms and overall instability in the crypto market.
