On December 16, 2025, the European Union published Regulation 2025/2531. For the first time, the EU officially regulates the use of distributed electronic ledgers (blockchain) as a reliable technology for qualified trust services.
Blockchain is no longer an "emerging" or "experimental" technology. It is now a recognized and standardized technology at the European level.
What does this regulation say?
Regulation 2025/2531 defines the technical standards that providers must meet to obtain "qualified eIDAS" status for their blockchain-based timestamping services.
The EU specifies the accepted cryptographic algorithms (including SHA-256, which we use at Instampy), the ISO standards applicable to blockchain architectures, the required consensus mechanisms, and the security and audit requirements.
If the EU invests time and resources to standardize blockchain in an official regulation, it's because it considers this technology to be serious, sustainable, and legally reliable.
Why is this important for blockchain?
Institutional validation
For years, blockchain has been associated with cryptocurrencies and speculation. This regulation changes the game: the European Union explicitly recognizes that blockchain can serve as qualified legal proof.
This recognition sends a signal to courts, businesses, and individuals: this technology is mature and can be standardized.
Market structuring
The regulation imposes precise technical standards (ISO 23257, ISO 23635) for qualified services. The sector will professionalize and serious players will be better identified. The market is consolidating around recognized standards.
Progressive adoption by institutions
When a technology is regulated by European legislation, it gradually becomes acceptable to public authorities, courts, and large companies. Blockchain moves from being a "technical curiosity" to becoming an everyday tool.
And for Instampy?
Instampy is not directly affected by this regulation because we are not seeking "qualified eIDAS" status. Our positioning is clear: offering a simple, accessible, and affordable timestamping service for everyday needs.
Obtaining qualified status would involve regular audits, costly certifications, and administrative burdens that would make our service much more expensive. That's not our strategic choice.
This regulation brings us the legitimacy of our technological choice.
What this means for you
Enhanced credibility: When you explain to someone that you've timestamped your creation on the blockchain, you're no longer met with skeptical looks. Blockchain for timestamping is now officially recognized by the EU as a reliable technology.
Wider adoption: The more the EU regulates and standardizes blockchain, the more understandable and acceptable it becomes to the general public. Amateur photographers, freelance designers, and beginner authors will be more inclined to use this technology.
Progressive legal recognition: Even if Instampy doesn't seek qualified status, our timestamps remain technically robust and legally admissible. When a court examines blockchain evidence, it knows that the EU itself recognizes this technology as reliable.
What we already do at Instampy
Even without qualified status, Instampy follows several best practices referenced in the regulation: the SHA-256 algorithm (a standard recognized by the EU and the entire world), immutable blockchain record (impossible to modify or delete retroactively), independent verification (anyone can check your timestamp without going through us), and preserved confidentiality (only the hash is recorded, never the content of your file).
We use the same technical foundations as qualified services, but without the associated constraints and costs.
Our positioning remains unchanged
This regulation doesn't change our offering, but it validates our vision: blockchain is a mature technology for timestamping.
At Instampy, we continue to offer a simple and fast service (a few seconds), accessible pricing for amateur and professional creators, strong technical protection based on recognized standards, and independent verification that guarantees the longevity of your timestamps.
We leave qualified services to use cases that genuinely require them (public procurement, highly regulated sectors, large companies). To protect your photo, design, code, or manuscript, Instampy remains the most relevant solution.
In conclusion
European Regulation 2025/2531 marks the official recognition of blockchain for trust services.
For you, as a creator using Instampy, your choice to protect your creations on the blockchain has just been validated by the European Union.
The technology is no longer experimental. It is standardized, regulated, and recognized. And you're already using it.
Ready to protect your work?