Binance has applied for a MiCA license in Greece

Binance has applied for authorization under the EU's Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) regulation in Greece amid warnings from regulators about upcoming compliance deadlines.

• A Binance representative confirmed that the exchange is cooperating with the Hellenic Capital Markets Commission (HCMC).
• The company has expressed its willingness to contribute to the long-term growth of Europe's digital financial ecosystem under the new rules.
• According to the exchange, MiCA is an important milestone that provides regulatory clarity and user protection.

The application in Greece was filed shortly after the French Financial Markets Authority (AMF) expressed concerns.

• On January 13, the AMF warned that Binance was among 90 crypto companies that were registered but did not yet have a MiCA license.
• The MiCA transition period in France ends on June 30, 2025.
• Companies that have not obtained a license by that date will be forced to cease operations in July.

EU licensing statistics (as of January 15)

At this point, Greece has not yet issued any MiCA licenses to crypto-asset service providers (CASP). The situation in other EU countries is as follows:

• Germany: 43 licenses issued.
• Netherlands: 22 licenses issued.
• France: 11 licenses issued.
• Belgium: no licenses issued yet, but KBC Bank plans to launch Bitcoin and Ether trading in February, pending receipt of a license.

Context and history of regulation

Binance remains the largest centralized exchange in the world with a daily trading volume of approximately $11.9 billion. However, the platform has long been under the scrutiny of regulators:

• In 2021, several EU countries flagged Binance as an unregistered exchange.
• In 2023, former exchange head Changpeng Zhao pleaded guilty in the US to money laundering charges, which increased regulatory pressure on the industry to strictly comply with regulations.

The MiCA transition period in France ends on June 30, 2025.