ECB President Lagarde Intervened in Binance’s EU License Application

European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde is said to have personally asked Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to block Binance’s bid for a European Union crypto licence, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

License application under MiCA

Binance applied to the Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC) for a crypto‑asset service provider licence under the EU’s Markets in Crypto‑Assets (MiCA) framework. A licence granted by one member state would be recognised across the entire bloc.

Greek authorities’ initial stance

In early June, Greek regulators indicated to the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) that they intended to approve Binance’s application.

Lagarde’s reported concerns

• Binance’s prior guilty plea in the United States for money‑laundering and sanctions violations.
• Potential acceleration of dollar‑stablecoin use in Europe, which could affect the ECB’s digital euro project.

Outcome of the application

Before a formal decision by the HCMC, Binance withdrew its application in mid‑June and halted marketing to EU users after missing the July licensing deadline.

ECB authority

The ECB does not have formal jurisdiction over crypto‑exchange licensing under MiCA; that authority resides with national regulators.