EU parliament backs world's first comprehensive rules for cryptoassets

LONDON (Reuters) - The European Parliament on Thursday overwhelmingly backed the European Union's first set of rules to regulate cryptoasset markets.

Parliament voted by 517 in favour and 38 against regarding the world's first comprehensive set of regulations for cryptoasset markets.

EU states have already given the nod to the rules which will be rolled out from mid 2024, requiring firms that offer cryptoasset services in the bloc to be licensed by EU regulators.

"I hope that our rules could become a model for other countries," the EU's financial services chief, Mairead McGuinness, said in a debate on the rules on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Huw Jones; editing by Jason Neely)