Greece registers first MiCA entrants as HCMC denies Binance claims

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Greece registers first MiCA entrants as HCMC denies Binance claims

Four crypto providers officially join the EU’s regulatory framework while Greece’s capital market regulator pushes back on reports about Binance’s withdrawn application

by
John Chen

Sep. 29, 2026

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Photo: Rafael Minguet Delgado / Pexels

Greece has entered the MiCA era. The country’s first four Crypto-Asset Service Providers are now listed on the ESMA register, making Greece one of the latest EU member states to populate the bloc’s unified crypto regulatory framework with authorized firms.

The registrations arrive alongside a pointed clarification from the Hellenic Capital Market Commission, which has publicly disputed claims attributed to its officials regarding Binance’s application process in the country.

Greece’s MiCA moment

Prior to these four registrations, Greece had zero CASPs listed in the ESMA register. That changed in September 2026, roughly two months after the MiCA transitional period expired on July 1, 2026.

That July 1 deadline was the hard cutoff. Any crypto service provider operating without proper authorization in the EU was required to shut down operations after that date.

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The four newly registered providers can now legally offer crypto services not just in Greece but potentially across the entire European Union. MiCA’s passporting mechanism allows authorized firms in one member state to serve customers throughout the bloc, similar to how traditional financial services firms operate under existing EU banking frameworks.

The Binance situation

Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange by trading volume, submitted its MiCA authorization application in Greece back in January 2026. But the exchange withdrew its application on June 24, 2026, just days before the transitional deadline.

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Binance cited a complicated application timeline and stated its intention to pursue authorization through other EU jurisdictions instead.

The HCMC issued a public statement emphasizing that its assessments are conducted independently and strictly in accordance with both EU and national standards.

What MiCA compliance actually means

The Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation, which entered its full enforcement phase after the July 1 transitional deadline, represents the most comprehensive crypto regulatory framework any major economic bloc has attempted. It covers everything from stablecoin issuance to exchange operations to custody services.

For consumers, the practical effect is straightforward. Every crypto firm they interact with in the EU must now meet capital requirements, maintain transparent operations, and submit to regulatory oversight.

Implications for the European crypto landscape

Greece’s registrations bring another EU member state into active participation in the MiCA framework. Compared to other EU nations, Greece has been relatively slower in issuing authorizations, with Germany, France, and the Netherlands leading the way in earlier MiCA licenses.

Greece incorporated MiCA into national legislation through Law 5193/2025 and has developed a licensing process that entails an initial assessment followed by a decision-making window of 40 business days.

Disclosure: This article was edited by John Chen. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.