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---
title: "Recital 16"
type: regulation
legal_status: in_force
source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32023R1114
shortTitle: "Recital 16"
instrument_type: level1_regulation
authority: Commission
binding: true
binding_character: binding
mica_level2: false
legal_basis: Regulation (EU) 2023/1114
instrument: mica
celex: 32023R1114
text_version: "Regulation (EU) 2023/1114, OJ L 150, 9.6.2023"
source_url: "https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1114/oj/eng"
check_status: matched
verified: true
last_checked: 2026-11-09
---

*In force · Regulation (EU) 2023/1114, OJ L 150, 9.6.2023 · Verified 9 Nov 2026 · [Official source](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1114/oj/eng)*

Any legislative act adopted in the field of crypto-assets should be specific and future-proof, be able to keep pace with innovation and technological developments and be founded on an incentive-based approach. The terms ‘crypto-assets’ and ‘[distributed ledger technology](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/mica/distributed-ledger-technology)’ should therefore be defined as widely as possible to capture all types of crypto-assets that currently fall outside the scope of Union legislative acts on financial services. Any legislative act adopted in the field of crypto-assets should also contribute to the objective of combating money laundering and terrorist financing. For that reason, entities offering services falling within the scope of this Regulation should also comply with applicable anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing rules of the Union, which integrate international standards.