EFFAS Digital Assets & MiCA at a glance

Over the last few years there has been a real push to develop types of assets based on blockchain technology such as digital assets or crypto assets. In addition to the cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ether or Solana, the technology enables the development of various types of financial instruments and newly created assets such as stable-coins, central bank digital money (CBDC) or tokenized traditional assets.

After more than a decade of adoption by the investment world, the crypto phenomenon has not remained as a speculative niche within investments, but on the contrary, it is progressively gaining volume and market share. It is no surprise that regulation has consistently reached these assets and this technology, albeit in an irregular way depending on the country.

Currently in Europe, the Directive for the Prevention of Money Laundering, AML5, is in force and intense work is being carried out on the draft of the MiCA Regulation (Markets in Crypto Assets), which will be the cornerstone of the regulation for these assets and in general for the entire sector that we call decentralized finance or DeFi.

Likewise, to a greater or lesser extent, traditional financial entities are beginning to offer or consider products and services related to this sector: intermediation in cryptocurrencies, tokenized vehicles, NFTs, derivatives on crypto assets, etc.

Throughout this programme we will review the essential elements of this technology, along with the use cases it generates for business and the regulation that will order these elements. Students who pass the programme will have the necessary training to be able to understand the novelties in this field and outline the essential attributes of the projects and activities that are developed in a financial institution with respect to crypto assets.

The EFFAS Digital Assets and MiCA (DiAM) is an international professional certification granted by the European Federation of Financial Analysts Societies (EFFAS). It provides and evaluates knowledge in assets based on blockchain technology and the regulatory framework to enable holders to provide clear investment information and advice. It is structured in 5 modules:

Module 1.- Blockchain technology; what it is and how it is linked to the crypto world.

Module 2.- Typologies of crypto assets and basic regulation that affects them.

Module 3.- Products and services in the world of crypto assets.

Module 4.- Regulation and money laundering: the MICA effect and the AML5.

Module 5.- Decentralized Finance (DeFi) and new trends and investments.

Download the EFFAS Digital Assets & MiCA Programme Syllabus HERE (PDF)

The programme’s objective is to prepare professionals (financial advisors, analysts, compliance officers, bank managers, etc.) to face what is probably the biggest revolution in the financial sector of this decade, cryptocurrencies and financial assets represented in blockchain.

For this reason, the programme presents and discusses the essential elements of digital assets based on blockchain technology (cryptocurrencies, tokenized vehicles, NFTs, derivatives on cryptoactives, etc.), the use cases it generates for the business and its basic regulation.

This programme is aimed at all those professionals in the financial sector who want to acquire the knowledge necessary to understand digital assets, including crypto-actives. It describes what the short- and medium-term prospects are for the evolution of their regulation.

As this topic cuts across many areas, advisers, salespeople and managers from the banking, finance and insurance sectors will benefit from acquiring this knowledge as will legal and technical specialists who are used to working in the financial sector.

Although it is a programme with a clear professional orientation, due to its construction from basic principles to more advanced elements, it may also be of great interest to individual investors who want to expand their knowledge on this subject and understand how it fits into the world of finance.

Step 1:

Enrol on the EFFAS Digital Assets & MiCA Programme offered by an accredited EFFAS National Member Society (NMS). If you are located in a country without an NMS, please visit the EFFAS Academy website for registration. Soon available for registration.

Step 2:

Pass the EFFAS Digital Assets & MiCA certification exam organised by EFFAS and its accredited National Member Societies. The exam covers the complete Examination Syllabus. The exam uses multiple-choice questions and has a duration of 60 minutes.

To pass the exam, students must demonstrate their knowledge by gaining more than 50% of the total points available.

The qualification results granted by EFFAS will be SUITABLE or NOT SUITABLE and the results are not open to appeal. EFFAS as awarding body does NOT accept requests by candidates to review the examination paper, nor does it provide detailed information on scores and/or percentage of correct answers / failures in the corresponding examination to the candidate.

Contact the accredited National Member Society in your country or visit the EFFAS Academy website. Available soon for registration.