Binance’s bid to secure a Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) license, the golden ticket for operating across all 27 EU member states, is heading toward rejection. Sources indicate that the Greek regulator reviewing the application is poised to deny it, leaving the exchange in a precarious position as a hard regulatory deadline approaches.
The Hellenic Capital Market Commission in Greece has been evaluating Binance’s application since January 2026, when the exchange filed through its subsidiary Binary Greece. If the rejection materializes, Binance would be locked out of offering services to European customers after the MiCA transitional grace period expires on July 1, 2026.
A pattern of European regulatory setbacks
This isn’t Binance’s first brush with European regulatory walls. In 2023, the exchange either withdrew applications or was denied entry in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Cyprus, and Austria. The Greek route was supposed to be a fresh start.
Binance co-CEO Richard Teng previously cited labor force availability and security considerations as reasons for choosing Greece as the launchpad for its MiCA bid. The exchange reportedly engaged Ernst & Young and KPMG to bolster the application.
