The world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange is about to get locked out of one of the world’s largest economic blocs. Greece’s Hellenic Capital Market Commission is expected to reject Binance’s application for a Markets in Crypto-Assets license, according to Reuters, a decision that would effectively bar the exchange from serving customers anywhere in the European Union.
The MiCA transitional period ends on July 1, 2026, meaning any crypto-asset service provider without proper authorization must stop operating across all 27 EU member states.
What happened and why Greece matters
Binance chose Greece as the jurisdiction for its MiCA application back in January 2026. The decision was strategic: Greece offered what Binance considered an advantageous labor market and security profile for establishing its EU regulatory base.
Greece has not issued a single MiCA license to any crypto service provider as of June 2026. Binance bet on a regulator with zero track record of approving these applications, and that bet appears to be going sideways.
