Binance Seeks New EU Authorization After Greece Licence Bid Falls Apart

Binance's plan to obtain a Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) licence in Greece has hit a roadblock. The exchange withdrew its application from the Hellenic Capital Market Commission just days after reports surfaced that the regulator was preparing to reject it.

The withdrawal leaves Binance without a clear path to serve customers across the European Union, with a hard compliance deadline now less than a week away. The MiCA transitional period for crypto-asset service providers ends on July 1, 2026, and any firm without proper authorization is effectively locked out of the EU market.

Binance had submitted its MiCA application to the HCMC in January 2026, routing the bid through a Greek holding company established in December 2025. However, the strategy to use Greece as the EU entry point and obtain a single MiCA licence that could be passported across all 27 member states has fallen apart.

The exchange is now racing to secure a licence in another member state before the door closes on July 1. France is mentioned as a potential landing spot, with Binance already holding a registration with France's Autorite des Marches Financiers as a digital asset service provider.