Binance pulls Greek MiCA licence request and looks for approval in another EU state

Binance announced that it has withdrawn its Markets in Crypto‑Assets (MiCA) licence application in Greece just days before the 1 July 2026 deadline that ends the EU’s transition period for crypto firms. The exchange said it will seek authorisation in a different EU member state, though it has not disclosed which country.

Regulators in Greece, Ireland and Latvia had expressed concerns over Binance’s past anti‑money‑laundering penalties, its corporate structure and perceived risk‑taking culture. Binance’s head of Europe, Gillian Lynch, told Reuters the company remains committed to the European market and will pursue “another pathway” to obtain a licence.

The firm warned that EU users may face service changes: new customers will no longer be onboarded after 1 July and certain features will be limited, but existing customers can still withdraw their assets. Binance said it will contact affected users directly and emphasised that funds remain safe. The move follows similar statements from the company that it has hired about 1,500 compliance staff and is working to meet MiCA requirements.

The development affects Binance’s operations across the EU, with particular impact on users in Greece, Poland, France and other member states where the exchange previously operated under national registrations that will cease to be sufficient after the deadline.