Binance has withdrawn its application for a Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) license in Greece and will seek authorization in another EU country, the crypto exchange said on Wednesday via multiple X-posts.
While Binance did not immediately respond to CoinDesk’s request for comment, Gillian Lynch, head of Europe and UK, told Reuters that “Binance is not leaving Europe.” Her comment follows her company’s attempt to secure a license in Greece to offer crypto services in the EU that went sour.
Last week, Binance said its European regulatory MiCA application was compliant despite reports of Greek rejection. “Our understanding is that the HCMC (Hellenic Capital Market Commission) completed its review of the application and deemed it compliant with MiCA requirements, and that the application was also reviewed at the ESMA level,” a Binance spokesperson told CoinDesk via email on June 16.
The decision comes days before a June 30 deadline. Under MiCA rules, crypto companies must obtain a license from at least one EU member state by July 1 to serve clients across the 27-nation trading bloc. Companies without a license must wind down their EU activities.
