DAVOS - Regulating crypto assets is now a matter of emergency and Europe needs to put new rules in place this year, French central bank chief Francois Villeroy de Galhau said on Monday.

"Frankly, it was an illusion that you can have an investment with high reward and low risk," Villeroy told the World Economic Forum. "It should be regulated. Also there are anti-money laundering issues."

"It’s an emergency question now... I strongly hope we will have this regulation in Europe this year," Villeroy said.

(Reporting by Balazs Koranyi)