Binance may be forced to withdraw from the 27 EU member states? Reports suggest Greece will refuse to issue a MiCA license; the official response is that it has been deemed compliant with regulations.

The transition period for the EU's landmark Crypto Asset Markets Regulation (MiCA) is set to officially end on July 1st this year. However, just as this crucial deadline approaches, Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, is facing significant changes in its European compliance journey.

According to an unconfirmed report by Reuters on June 16, 2026, citing two sources familiar with the matter, the Greek Capital Markets Commission (HCMC) is preparing to reject Binance's application for a MiCA license.

Rumors suggest Greece may close its doors, potentially costing Binance its EU membership.

Under the "passporting rights" mechanism of the MiCA (Mandatory Access to Cryptocurrency and Access) regulations, cryptocurrency platforms only need a single license from any one EU member state to operate legally in all 27 European countries; conversely, platforms without a license must cease operations entirely. Sources indicate that if Greece ultimately refuses to issue a license, Binance will be unable to operate legally in the EU and will have to stop providing services to EU customers. Otherwise, it will face severe enforcement action, hefty fines, and even being blacklisted by regulators.

This would undoubtedly constitute a major business disruption for Binance, which has approximately 300 million users worldwide and Europe as its core market, and could force users to urgently transfer their assets.

Binance strongly refutes the claim: HCMC has determined that it meets the requirements.

In response to rumors circulating in the market that the application was about to be rejected, Binance quickly issued a statement strongly refuting them. Binance told the media that its team had been working closely with Greek regulators over the past 18 months and had submitted extremely comprehensive application documents.

Binance emphasized that, to its knowledge, HCMC has completed its substantive review process and determined that the application fully complies with MiCA's stringent requirements, and that the relevant documents have also been reviewed at the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) level. Binance insists that HCMC originally planned to proceed with the authorization process at its upcoming board meeting, stating, "HCMC has not formally expressed any contrary opinion." Regarding this dispute, HCMC has declined to comment on the case, citing confidentiality regulations.

Users face uncertainty; the July deadline will reveal the true situation.

Back in January, Binance formally submitted its MiCA application through its Greek subsidiary. Co-CEO Richard Teng publicly supported the decision in February, praising Greece for its high-quality workforce and excellent safety environment, making it an ideal choice for Binance's European expansion base.

With foreign media reports and official statements creating a Rashomon-like situation, and only about two weeks remaining until the July 1st deadline, the final outcome of this unconfirmed rumor will become clear in the coming weeks. Binance has pledged to support an orderly process and minimize the impact on users should any regulatory changes occur. Until the situation is officially resolved, European investors should exercise caution and closely monitor developments.

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