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Christine Lagarde reportedly blocked Binance EU license bid via Greece
Reports from the Wall Street Journal indicate that European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde personally intervened to prevent the cryptocurrency exchange Binance from obtaining a MiCA license through Greece.
According to the investigation, Lagarde contacted Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to express opposition to the application. While the Hellenic Capital Market Commission had reportedly indicated that Binance's application was complete and nearing approval, the process stalled following this intervention. Binance ultimately withdrew its application in June 2026 before a formal decision was reached.
Lagarde's reported concerns included Binance's previous regulatory issues in the United States and the potential risk that dollar-denominated stablecoins could undermine the stability of the euro and the development of the ECB's digital euro project. Although the ECB does not hold formal legal authority to grant or veto MiCA licenses—a power reserved for national regulators—the reports suggest that political pressure played a decisive role in the outcome.
Entities
Binance · Christine Lagarde · European Central Bank · European Securities and Markets Authority · Hellenic Capital Market Commission · Kyriakos Mitsotakis
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 10 SOURCES] Lagarde expressed concerns that dollar-linked stablecoins could undermine the digital euro project and the euro's dominance. www.cnbce.com · bitcoin.fr · coindoo.com · www.crypto-insiders.nl · economytoday.sigmalive.com · +5 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] The European Central Bank holds no formal legal power to grant or veto MiCA licenses, which are the responsibility of national authorities. www.cnbce.com · bitcoin.fr · www.btc-echo.de · www.crypto-insiders.nl · www.crypto-news-flash.com · +1 more
- [● 10 SOURCES] Christine Lagarde personally intervened by contacting Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to oppose Binance’s license application. www.cnbce.com · bitcoin.fr · coindoo.com · www.crypto-insiders.nl · economytoday.sigmalive.com · +5 more
- [● 5 SOURCES] The Hellenic Capital Market Commission had reportedly indicated that Binance's application was complete and nearing approval. www.cnbce.com · coindoo.com · www.crypto-insiders.nl · economytoday.sigmalive.com · www.crypto-news-flash.com
- [● 10 SOURCES] Binance withdrew its MiCA license application in Greece in June before a formal decision was issued. www.cnbce.com · bitcoin.fr · coindoo.com · www.crypto-insiders.nl · economytoday.sigmalive.com · +5 more