The head of the International Energy Agency has publicly criticised the European Union for moving too slowly on electrification, despite the energy shock that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He noted electricity accounts for about 23 percent of the EU’s total energy use and said heating and transport have not advanced as expected. EU officials also acknowledged ongoing reliance on imported fossil fuels, while the European Commission plans tax changes to support heat pumps and electric vehicles.

Whitebit has received approval under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) rules from Austria’s Financial Market Authority, allowing it to provide regulated crypto services across the European Economic Area with a single licence. Cointelegraph reported the company will also launch a Europe-focused platform, WhitebitEU. The approval comes less than two weeks before the MiCA transition period ends on July 1, after which firms must hold a MiCA licence or stop serving EU customers.