Reich, Bastian: Marktmanipulation unter Geltung der MiCAR

Bastian Reich offers an in-depth legal analysis of market manipulation in the context of the EU Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR), focusing on Article 91. He situates MiCAR, effective in full since 30 December 2024, within the broader framework of EU financial market law and examines its relation to the Market Abuse Regulation (MAR). In the first part, the author demonstrates that the exclusivity of both regimes, as proclaimed in Article 2 MiCAR, does not withstand closer scrutiny. The second part provides a detailed doctrinal and economic analysis of Article 91 MiCAR, which shifts the regulatory focus from allocative efficiency to the protection of retail investors. This shift entails a redefinition of the investor model, accounting for behavioural and irrational market dynamics. The author further explores how established problems of market manipulation appear in this new context and discusses specific manipulation patterns unique to crypto-assets. The concluding section addresses the legal consequences of violations of Article 91 MiCAR, including the contentious issue of potential civil liability.