Compliance is ongoing.
ESMA's knowledge and competence guidelines apply now. Certified staff must complete 10 to 20 hours of CPD every year, and supervisors check.
The Big Whale Academy
Digital asset training for financial institutions.
From a first introduction to MiCA certification: programmes built with your teams, grounded in The Big Whale's market intelligence, and kept current after the training.
- 150+financial institutions work with The Big Whale
- 30Kprofessionals follow our research
MiCA certifications delivered with
Why now
Digital assets are now part of your teams' daily work.
Digital assets already reach your business lines.
Custody, payments, fund services, compliance and client advisers all face tokenised assets, stablecoins and crypto-asset questions.
Teams need a common language.
Before going deeper, every team needs the same foundations: what a blockchain, a stablecoin and a tokenised fund are.
Our programmes
From first awareness to certification, with one provider.
Most institutions combine the four formats: they start with the foundations, then build role-specific paths and certify the staff who need it.
Foundations
For teams who need a common language
An online course on blockchain, Bitcoin, stablecoins, tokenisation, regulation, risks and fraud, with practical cases by role.
- 3 to 5 hours
- Fully asynchronous
- French or English
- Per-participant tracking
Tailored programmes
For institutions deploying digital assets across business lines
A path built with your business-line heads: shared foundations, then sessions by business line (custody, payments, fund services, control, coverage) on your own cases.
- Online modules and live virtual classes
- Built on your cases
- Updated every year
MiCA certifications MIC™ and MAC™
For staff who inform or advise clients on crypto-assets
80-hour (MIC™) and 160-hour (MAC™) programmes developed by DEC Institute and aligned with ESMA Guidelines 2 and 3, with a final exam and annual CPD. Delivered with The Big Whale.
- 80 h or 160 h
- Final exam
- Annual CPD
- English, French, German
Executive briefing
For executive committees and boards
A 2-hour session on what digital assets change for your business model, how your peers respond, and the decisions to make. Delivered live by The Big Whale's analysts.
- 2 hours
- In person or live stream
- English, French, German
Which programme for which team
Match each team with the right level.
A starting point for scoping. We adjust it with you to your organisation and your projects.
| Team | Foundations | Tailored programmes | MiCA certifications MIC™ and MAC™ | Executive briefing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Client advisers | Recommended | Recommended | Recommended | Not recommended |
| Securities services and back office | Recommended | Recommended | Not recommended | Not recommended |
| Compliance and control | Recommended | Recommended | Depending on the role | Not recommended |
| Markets and payments | Recommended | Recommended | Depending on the role | Not recommended |
| Executive committee and board | Depending on the role | Not recommended | Not recommended | Recommended |
Client advisers
Recommended: Foundations, Tailored programmes, MiCA certifications MIC™ and MAC™
Securities services and back office
Recommended: Foundations, Tailored programmes
Compliance and control
Recommended: Foundations, Tailored programmes
Depending on the role: MiCA certifications MIC™ and MAC™
Markets and payments
Recommended: Foundations, Tailored programmes
Depending on the role: MiCA certifications MIC™ and MAC™
Executive committee and board
Recommended: Executive briefing
Depending on the role: Foundations
● Recommended○ Depending on the role— Not recommended
Our method
How we run a programme.
Scope
We define audiences, levels and objectives with you.
Build with your teams
Interviews with your business lines, so the content uses your cases and your vocabulary.
Deploy and track
Online modules on our learning platform, live sessions, completion and scores by participant.
Keep it current
A yearly content review as markets and rules evolve.
MiCA certification
MIC™ to inform clients, MAC™ to advise them.
Choose the certification that matches the role of each team member. Both programmes are developed by DEC Institute and aligned with ESMA Guidelines 2 and 3.
ESMA Guideline 2
MIC™
MiCA Inform Certification
- 80 hours
- 8 weeks
- 6 modules
- 10 h CPD per year
For professionals who provide information on crypto-assets or crypto-asset services. MIC™ holders can give clients accurate information that complies with MiCA.
Who it's for
- Customer service and client onboarding
- Sales and marketing staff
- Support staff providing product information
ESMA Guidelines 2 and 3
MAC™
MiCA Advisory Certification
- 160 hours
- 16 weeks
- 12 modules
- 20 h CPD per year
For professionals who advise clients on crypto-asset investments. The MAC™ validates advanced competence for advisory roles under MiCA, covering the full Guideline 3 suitability framework.
Who it's for
- Crypto-asset advisers and relationship managers
- Portfolio managers with crypto-asset mandates
- Senior compliance and advisory officers
Programmes built in accordance with ESMA's guidelines on knowledge and competence under MiCA. Supervisors expect documented evidence of staff competence, at authorisation and every year after. Read ESMA's guidelines (opens in a new tab) →
Curriculum
Modules 1 to 6 form the MIC™ programme. All twelve modules make the MAC™.
See the 12 modules
01The MiCA regulatory frameworkMIC™ and MAC™
- MiCA overview and scope
- Crypto-asset categories under MiCA
- Crypto-asset services and licensing
- Investor protection obligations
- Staff knowledge and competence requirements
- Case study: applying MiCA to business scenarios
02Crypto-asset fundamentalsMIC™ and MAC™
- Blockchain technology 101
- Wallets, keys and transactions
- Consensus mechanisms
- Major blockchain protocols
- Smart contracts and tokenisation
- Types of crypto-assets
- Interactive crypto simulation
03Crypto risks and securityMIC™ and MAC™
- Market volatility and liquidity risk
- Cybersecurity threats in crypto
- Private key management and custody risk
- Smart contract and protocol risks
- Scams, fraud and social engineering
- Stablecoin risks
- Client risk disclosure role-play
04Costs and marketsMIC™ and MAC™
- Fees and costs in crypto transactions
- Crypto market structure and trading platforms
- Liquidity and market depth
- Price drivers: sentiment and macro events
- Interactive scenario: explaining costs and slippage
05Legal and ethical responsibilitiesMIC™ and MAC™
- AML/CFT compliance fundamentals
- Market abuse and fraud prevention
- Marketing and communication standards
- Client interest first: ethical conduct
- Data privacy and security
- AML case study: suspicious activity
06Valuation and sustainabilityMIC™ and MAC™
- Foundations of crypto-asset valuation
- Fundamental analysis of crypto projects
- Tokenomics and crypto-economic models
- On-chain metrics and analytical tools
- Environmental sustainability in crypto
- Capstone case: comprehensive crypto assessment
07Advanced crypto-asset knowledgeMAC™ only
- Product classifications under MiCA
- Stablecoins, ARTs and EMTs: risk and regulatory considerations
- Complexity factors: custody, redemption, governance
- Comparing asset features for suitability
- Valuation mechanisms and limitations
08Suitability frameworksMAC™ only
Lessons to be confirmed by DEC Institute.
09Risk profilingMAC™ only
- Identifying investor type: growth versus defensive clients
- Assessing knowledge, experience and loss capacity
- Translating qualitative goals into risk indicators
- Documenting and evidencing risk profile quality
- Case study: a misjudged risk profile
10Costs and chargesMAC™ only
- Aggregating total client costs: fees, spread, network
- Explaining advice fees versus trading costs
- Impact of costs on performance and suitability
- Regulatory expectations for cost disclosure under MiCA
- Role-play: total cost of ownership in client language
11Investor protectionMAC™ only
- Acting in the client's best interest under MiCA
- Identifying and managing conflicts of interest
- Inducements, cross-selling and ethical limits
- Communicating when advice cannot be given
- Case study: in-house token promotion and conflicts
12Advanced portfolio managementMAC™ only
- Advanced portfolio construction for crypto-asset mandates
- Performance attribution and benchmarking
- Client communication on complex portfolios
- Regulatory expectations for portfolio reporting
- Capstone: full advisory cycle simulation
After the training
Access to our research continues after the training.
Participants get 12 months of access to The Big Whale platform, app and MCP: research, regulatory tracking, dashboards and news, in their own tools.
- Research and benchmarks
- Regulatory tracking
- Market dashboards
- In the app and in your AI tools
References
They train their teams with us.
Anonymised case studies and client-approved logos to come.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which programme fits which team?
The Big Whale Academy has four formats: foundations for everyone who needs the basics; tailored programmes for business lines working on digital assets; MIC™ and MAC™ for staff who inform or advise clients on crypto-assets; the executive briefing for leadership.
Does a foundations course meet ESMA requirements?
No. Staff who provide information or advice on crypto-assets need a qualification aligned with ESMA's guidelines, such as MIC™ or MAC™.
Can you adapt the content to our business lines?
Yes. The Big Whale builds tailored programmes from interviews with your teams and use your own cases.
Where is the training hosted, and can we track completion?
Online modules run on The Big Whale's learning platform, with completion and scores reported by participant. Your IT team may need to authorise the platform's domain.
In which languages does The Big Whale Academy teach?
Foundations and tailored programmes in French and English; other languages on request. MIC™ and MAC™ in English, French and German.
What is the difference between MIC™ and MAC™?
The MIC™ (80 hours) certifies staff who provide information about crypto-assets without personalised recommendations. The MAC™ (160 hours) certifies staff who give advice, that is personalised recommendations that trigger suitability obligations under MiCA.
How does MiCA distinguish giving information from giving advice?
Giving information means delivering factual, non-personalised details about a crypto-asset or a service without suggesting what a client should do. Giving advice means offering a personal recommendation tailored to a client's situation. As soon as guidance is individualised, it becomes advice and the suitability requirements apply.
What qualifications does an information-giving role need?
Under ESMA Guideline 2: either an 80-hour professional qualification (such as the MIC™) plus 6 months of supervised experience, or 1 year of supervised experience without a formal qualification. Both require an assessment covering all Guideline 2 criteria.
What qualifications does an advisory role need?
Under ESMA Guideline 3, candidates pass an assessment and meet one of three conditions: a relevant degree plus 1 year of supervised advisory experience; 160 hours of professional training (such as the MAC™) plus 1 year of supervised experience; or 2 years of prior MiFID II or IDD advisory experience plus 6 months of supervised crypto-asset advice.
What CPD keeps the certification valid?
MIC™ holders complete 10 hours a year, MAC™ holders 20 hours. CPD includes an assessment and covers regulatory changes, market developments and emerging risks. DEC Institute's CPD platform provides the annual learning activities.
Can staff work under supervision before certification?
Yes. Staff may work under the supervision of a fully certified colleague, with documented supervision arrangements. The supervisor is responsible for all client-facing activity, and supervised staff must be fully certified within 4 years.
What happens if a candidate fails the exam?
A 4-week waiting period applies before a new attempt. Candidates receive a result report showing their knowledge gaps, and the first retake is included. Firms may allow continued supervised work in the meantime.
Let's scope the right programme for your teams.
Tell us about your teams and your projects. We come back with a proposal: audiences, formats, languages and timeline.
Talk to our team (opens in a new tab)Or write to [email protected]. We reply within 48 hours.
Already a member of The Big Whale? Mention it when you get in touch.