Binance withdraws Greek MiCA license application amid regulatory concerns

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, submitted a request to withdraw its application for a Markets in Crypto‑Assets (MiCA) licence in Greece. The withdrawal came after Greece’s capital‑markets regulator raised significant supervisory‑compliance and corporate‑governance issues that could not be resolved, prompting the exchange to pull the filing before a scheduled regulator meeting.

The case revived debate over the European Central Bank’s (ECB) role in MiCA reviews. Although licensing authority rests with national regulators such as Greece’s Hellenic Capital Market Commission, legal experts note that MiCA does not prohibit EU institutions like the ECB from offering input. Reports had suggested the ECB signaled that Binance was “not welcome” in Europe, fueling speculation about political influence in the process.

Earlier attempts by Binance to obtain a Greek licence also faced setbacks, including a negative assessment from the Bank of Greece on a prior payment‑institution application. The withdrawal leaves Binance without a MiCA licence in Greece as crypto firms across the EU race to secure approvals under the new unified framework.