Binance withdraws its Greek MiCA application — vows to stay in Europe before June 30 deadline
Binance has pulled its Markets in Crypto-Assets license application in Greece and says it will seek authorization in another EU country. Without a license by June 30, the world's largest exchange loses the right to serve EU residents from July 1.
Binance has withdrawn its application for a Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) license in Greece and will instead seek authorization in another European Union country, the exchange confirmed on June 24.
The move comes just days before a hard deadline. Under MiCA, any platform that wants to legally serve EU clients must hold a license from at least one member state by the end of June 2026. Unless Binance secures authorization elsewhere in the bloc before June 30, it would lose the legal right to serve EU residents from July 1.
Reuters first reported on June 16 that Greece's Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC) was set to reject the bid. Greek, Irish and Latvian regulators had reportedly raised concerns about Binance's past legal issues and corporate structure. As of June 2026, the HCMC had not issued a single MiCA license to any crypto company, making Greece a risky venue for the application in the first place.
Despite the setback, Binance struck a defiant tone: 'Europe remains an important market for Binance. We are confident we will secure a license in the coming months.' The episode underlines how MiCA is forcing even the largest global exchanges to restructure around EU rules — or risk being locked out of the market.