ESMA’s Digital and Data Strategies Support Supervision of EU Financial Markets
•February 11, 2026
0
Why It Matters
The initiatives modernise EU market oversight, cutting compliance costs while boosting transparency and resilience for financial firms and regulators alike.
Key Takeaways
- •Digital Strategy targets 2026‑2028 innovation and resilience.
- •Data Strategy adds crypto monitoring and single access point.
- •Streamlined reporting reduces regulatory burden for firms.
- •Expanded ESMA Data Platform benefits national authorities.
- •Unified strategy planned by 2029 for ESFS.
Pulse Analysis
ESMA’s twin strategies signal a decisive shift toward technology‑enabled supervision in Europe’s financial markets. By codifying a digital roadmap through 2028, the regulator seeks to embed automation, cloud‑based analytics and secure data exchanges into its core processes. This aligns with the broader EU agenda to create a more agile supervisory architecture that can respond swiftly to market disruptions, from rapid trading innovations to emerging asset classes.
The updated Data Strategy deepens that ambition by targeting concrete use cases. A revamped ESMA Data Platform will pool transaction and fund data, giving national authorities real‑time access to harmonised information. Simultaneously, the next phase of the MiCA joint supervisory tool will monitor crypto‑asset activity, while the European Single Access Point promises a one‑stop repository for disclosures. Together, these measures aim to cut reporting redundancy, lower compliance costs for firms, and improve data quality for risk assessment.
For market participants, the combined digital‑data thrust promises a more transparent and predictable regulatory environment. Faster data flows and standardized reporting reduce latency in supervisory feedback, fostering confidence among investors and fintech innovators. As ESMA moves toward a unified strategy by 2029, its approach may set a benchmark for other jurisdictions seeking to balance innovation with robust oversight, reinforcing the EU’s position as a leader in digital finance governance.
ESMA’s Digital and Data strategies support supervision of EU financial markets
ESMA’s Digital and Data strategies support supervision of EU financial markets 13 January 2026
About ESMA
Market data
Press Releases
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU’s financial markets regulator and supervisor, has adopted a new Digital Strategy and updated its Data Strategy. They reflect ESMA’s commitment to smarter regulatory reporting and technology-driven supervision, promote synergies and innovation while reducing unnecessary complexity.
The digital strategy aims to continue ESMA’s digital transformation, while the Data Strategy update is oriented to capitalise on opportunities to simplify, better integrate and streamline data management and technology.
ESMA Chair, Verena Ross, said:
“ESMA is committed to smarter regulation and supervision, and this drives our dual focus on digitalisation and simplification. These two strategies support a digitally mature, resilient and agile authority that understands the importance of data for its community.
By helping to drive the digital transformation of the European System of Financial Supervision (ESFS) we reinforce a more efficient, transparent, and resilient financial ecosystem for the EU.”
The new Digital Strategy 2026–2028 sets out a roadmap for innovation, efficiency, and resilience. The key objectives include:
-
Building EU digital synergies
-
Enhancing digital capabilities of ESMA and the European System of Financial Supervision (ESFS)
-
Bolstering operational efficiency
-
Establishing a secure and future-ready ecosystem.
The Data Strategy 2023–2028 has been updated to reflect the focus on burden reduction, the evolving technological landscape, and ESMA’s desire for unlocking efficiency opportunities. While its key objectives remain the same, the key new actions include:
-
Flagship initiatives related to streamlining supervisory reporting, relating to transaction data and in the funds domain
-
Expanding the capacity of the ESMA Data Platform to benefit national and European authorities
-
Implementing next phases of the MiCA joint supervisory tool for crypto-market monitoring
-
Finalising the development of the European Single Access Point (ESAP).
These goals are in line with ESMA’s wider simplification and burden reduction initiative launched last year.
With the alignment of both the digital and data strategies, ESMA ensures that innovation and technology translate into tangible benefits for stakeholders, with more possibilities for synergies and digital transformation across ESMA and the ESFS at large.
Next steps
ESMA’s Data and Digital work will be guided by the roadmaps under both strategies. By 2029, ESMA expects to converge the two into one unified strategy.
Further information:
Cristina Bonillo
Senior Communications Officer
13/01/2026
ESMA65-955014868-12887
ESMA Digital Strategy 2026-2028
13/01/2026
ESMA50-157-3404
13/01/2026
ESMA71-545613100-2856
ESMA’s Digital and Data strategies support supervision of EU financial markets - Press release
0
Comments
Want to join the conversation?
Loading comments...