The CNMV was granted the “MOST INNOVATIVE REGULATOR AWARD 2026” at the third cohort of the EBS (European Blockchain Sandbox) for its work. This award recognises the most innovative regulators participating in this testing environment.

In this third cohort (project group) the award was granted to the CNMV along with seven other competent authorities. Only two of these authorities belong to the financial sector: CNMV and the Bank of Spain. A total of around 80 supervisors took part in the Sandbox.  The CNMV was also granted this award in the first cohort held in June 2024.

Conclusions drawn from this third and final cohort of the Sandbox have been compiled in a report highlighting best practices: EBS Third Cohort Best Practices Report.

The European Blockchain Sandbox is a regulatory sandbox promoted by the European Commission, aimed at establishing a framework for dialogue at pan-European level (between national and European competent authorities) to discuss use cases with providers of innovative Blockchain/DLT, both in the public and private sectors. Its goal is to share knowledge and experience, as well as to identify potential legal and regulatory issues or challenges.

The Sandbox has been in development from 2023 to 2026, comprising 3 cohorts, each including 20 projects. These projects were selected based on publicly established eligibility criteria and belong to various industrial sectors (financial services, cybersecurity, energy, healthcare, real estate, and logistics).

As for this third cohort, projects assessed showed improved soundness compared to previous cohorts. Most of them addressed issues related to AI, cybersecurity, and digital identity, combined with blockchain/DLT technology.