Lagarde Accused of Blocking Binance's Greek MiCA License Application

Christine Lagarde, the European Central Bank's president, has been accused of blocking Binance's application for a Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) license in Greece. According to a report from Cointelegraph, a Greek regulatory official told Binance that Lagarde had asked Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis not to approve the exchange's MiCA application.

The MiCA license is a crucial step for Binance to operate in the EU, and the Greek route was seen as a key entry point. However, despite initial signals from Greek regulators indicating approval, the process stalled, and Binance eventually withdrew its application, citing plans to seek authorization in another EU jurisdiction.

The reports do not confirm that Lagarde personally blocked the license or formally vetoed it. Instead, they suggest that she informally pressured Mitsotakis to reject the application, which could be seen as a misuse of her influence.

Binance has stated that it remains committed to obtaining a MiCA license and is exploring other EU member states for approval.