Will Binance Exit Europe? Analysts Weigh In

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 09/30/2023 - 18:30

Binance – the world’s largest and most popular digital currency exchange – may not remain in Europe, according to various analysts.

What Will Happen with Binance in Europe?

Right now, Binance is being hit from both sides. In the U.S., for example, regulations are coming down hard. The company is the victim of a lawsuit filed against it by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and it has stated that it may shut down its America-based unit as a means of saving the greater company.

In Europe, the EU has implemented what’s known as MiCA, which are a new string of crypto regulations that suggest the enterprise’s operations could become limited throughout the continent. If Binance were to remain in Europe, it would likely only stay in a few countries and wind down somewhat.

Emilien Bernard-Alzias – a partner at the law firm Simmons & Simmons LLP – said that MiCA won’t come into effect for another year to a year and a half, but that all crypto companies who choose to remain in Europe during that time will need to apply for specific licenses to remain in business. He said:

You [need] to apply for one license in one country, and then you get almost like a passport to provide your services across all 27 EU member states.

Thus far, Binance has hinted that it will be flexible when the new rules come into effect. A spokesperson for the exchange released the following statement:

MiCA is a pragmatic solution to the shared issues that the industry and regulators face together. It provides a clear route to compliant access to the single market for businesses while also providing strong guardrails that protect users while supporting innovation. With existing registrations in six EU countries, Binance stands ready to make any necessary changes to our business during the implementation period to fully comply with MiCA’s requirements.

At the same time, the company has withdrawn from regions like Cyprus, so it’s unclear what Binance has up its sleeve in the coming months and years. Also, countries such as Germany have made it clear that they’re going to be quite stringent when it comes to garnering licenses and documents to operate as a crypto broker within its borders, which could wind up being problematic for the exchange. Anika Patz – associated partner at law firm YPOG – said:

If you propose a business where basically none of your infrastructure’s based in Europe… If you outsource all your functions to third countries, and you have two people on the ground here [in Germany], [BaFin] cannot really say you [oversee] your business, and it will not provide your license.