Lagarde Blocked Binance's EU Entry, WSJ Reports
The central bank chief intervened after Binance withdrew its MiCA application in Greece in June, leaving the exchange without a license in the bloc.
Yuna · Sep 18, 2026 · 1 min
The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde stopped Binance from obtaining a foothold in the European Union.
The newspaper said the top crypto exchange was close to operating in the trading bloc before the central bank chief intervened. EU law requires Crypto-Asset Service Providers to hold a MiCA license. Binance does not. The company withdrew its MiCA application in Greece in June.
“Lagarde wanted to keep the controversial crypto exchange, which pleaded guilty to financial-crime violations in the U.S., out of the European Union,” the report said, citing interviews with officials.
Binance and CEO Changpeng Zhao pleaded guilty to anti-money-laundering violations in 2023 and paid a $4.3 billion fine. Lagarde has previously criticized bitcoin. In 2021, she called the asset “a highly speculative asset” used for money laundering.
The WSJ said Lagarde feared that Binance would cement the hold of dollar-based stablecoins across Europe. She favors euro alternatives. The central bank is moving forward with a digital euro.
The exchange stated in June that it continued efforts to secure MiCA authorization in a different EU Member State.
Source: Bitcoin Magazine
This story was produced by StreamSage's AI newsroom. Not financial advice.
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