Binance, the world’s biggest cryptocurrency exchange, has formally applied for a pan-European license known as MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) that digital asset firms operating in the continent must obtain before July 1. The European Union introduced the MiCA regime in 2023 as a way to standardize the regulatory and compliance regime for crypto companies, while also streamlining the process for those firms to set up shop across different EU jurisdictions.
Despite earlier speculation that Binance would seek its license in Malta or Latvia, the exchange opted to file in Greece, where it has also set up a holding company. The Binance application was first reported by the country’s English-language news site D News. The site reported that the process is on a fast-track under the Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC), and that the regulator has asked major accounting firms, including Ernst & Young and KPMG, to help it review the proposal.
A Binance spokesperson confirmed in a statement that the company had sought a MiCA license in Athens, and that it was in active discussions with the HCMC. They added that Binance views the MiCA regime as offering regulatory clarity and a clear framework for innovation.
