The collection began about 18 months ago, before MiCA’s first rules came into force, she said. The stablecoin rules came into effect about a year ago, and crypto-asset providers have been working through a transition period before the deadline of July 1, 2026. After that date, companies relying on legacy national schemes will no longer be able to provide MiCA-regulated services in the EU.
The inquiries come from entrepreneurs frustrated by bureaucracy and regulatory burdens in Europe.
“They’re not just some random guys,” she said. “They are former founders or current founders, someone with multiple exits, someone with years of experience in crypto.”
The deadline is already reshaping the competitive landscape. Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, withdrew its MiCA application in Greece last week, notifying EU users that it would suspend some services while it sought another regulatory route. The company said it remains committed to Europe.
“Our ambitions in Europe remain the same and we are confident that we will secure a MiCA license in the coming months,” Binance said in a statement to CoinDesk on Thursday.
The rivals are trying to capitalize. OKX and Coinbase (COIN) announced bonuses of up to 8% of total deposits and transfers to new users the following day.
