New crypto-asset regulations take effect this week
Starting July 1, new regulations for crypto-assets come into force, granting supervisory powers to the Bank of Portugal (Banco de Portugal) and the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (Comissão do Mercado de Valores Mobiliários or CMVM). Companies failing to comply with the new sector duties or operating without authorization face fines of up to five million euros.
- Governor of Banco de Portugal (2020–present)
- Former: Minister of Finance (2015–2020), President of the Eurogroup (2018–2020)
- Party: Independent (PS-affiliated)
- Background: Economist (PhD, Harvard)
Mário José Gomes de Freitas Centeno (born 1966) is Portugal's central bank governor and one of the country's most internationally recognized economic figures. As Finance Minister under António Costa's first PS government, he became known as "Cristiano Ronaldo of European finance" for turning Portugal's deficit into a surplus while reversing austerity.
He was elected president of the Eurogroup (the informal body of euro area finance ministers) in 2018 — the first Portuguese to hold the role. Since becoming Governor of Banco de Portugal in 2020, he sits on the ECB's Governing Council and oversees Portuguese banking supervision and financial stability.
The CMVM is Portugal's securities market regulator (Comissão do Mercado de Valores Mobiliários), which supervises stock markets, investment firms and investor protection. The CMVM will shortly present a proposal to the Government for Savings and Investment Accounts (CPI), so investors should follow the proposal for changes to retail investment options.
