Lagarde Accused of Blocking Binance's EU License Bid

Binance's bid for a MiCA license in Greece was reportedly blocked by ECB President Christine Lagarde through informal pressure, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

The exchange filed its application in January 2026 and had almost completed the process before being informed that Lagarde had asked Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis not to approve it.

Lagarde was reportedly concerned about Binance's scale as the world's largest crypto exchange, which could deepen the use of dollar-based stablecoins in Europe, undermining the digital euro project and euro-denominated alternatives.

Binance withdrew its application on June 24th, one week before MiCA's licensing deadline for existing crypto firms, citing the status and timeline of the Greek process rather than any intervention by Lagarde or the ECB.