Greece has joined the EU MiCA register for the first time, with four crypto providers now listed. The update from ESMA brought Greece onto the list, but it also dragged a messy dispute over Binance into the open.
The Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC) has denied claims that European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde blocked Binance’s Greek application. The denial comes as Greece’s first MiCA entries show how the country splits crypto oversight between its capital markets regulator and its central bank.
Greece’s First MiCA Entries
Four Greek providers appeared on ESMA’s MiCA register updated Thursday: BCash, Xenios Blockchain Group, Capital Wallet Greece and Piraeus Bank. Six other crypto-asset service providers from Germany, France and Slovenia were added, bringing the register to 359 unique providers.
The HCMC is the competent authority for BCash, Xenios Blockchain Group and Capital Wallet Greece. The Bank of Greece handles Piraeus Bank, a major Greek lender.
Greece’s implementation of MiCA allows member states to designate more than one competent authority and divide regulatory responsibilities between them. That split is now visible in the register itself.
Binance’s Withdrawal and the Lagarde Claim
Binance withdrew its Greek MiCA application on June 24 before the HCMC issued a formal decision. The Wall Street Journal reported on Sept. 18 that Lagarde had intervened to block the application.
The report said Lagarde had moved to stop Binance from getting authorized in Greece, which would have allowed Binance to offer EU-wide services under MiCA’s passporting system.
HCMC’s Written Denial
The HCMC denied that its officials made the comments attributed to them in a written response to Cointelegraph. The regulator said no official made the reported remarks and that it received no communication about Binance’s application from Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, his office, the Finance Ministry or other Greek government officials.
“HCMC categorically rejects the assertions attributed to it,” the regulator said. The denial covered the report that a vice chair made those remarks to Binance when asked specifically.
Who Said What
| Party | Position |
|---|---|
| HCMC | Denied the intervention claim, saying no official made the attributed remarks |
| ECB | Declined to comment on the report |
| Binance | Would not address the reported intervention, telling Cointelegraph it would “not comment on speculation” |
| Lagarde | Not addressed by name in the report |
The WSJ report is the basis for the whole story. The HCMC denial pushes back against it directly.
Binance’s Silence
Binance declined to address the reported intervention, telling Cointelegraph it would “not comment on speculation” while reaffirming its commitment to securing MiCA authorization in Europe.
Cointelegraph contacted Mitsotakis’ office for comment but did not receive a response.
The ECB declined to comment on the report.
What the Register Shows
The ESMA update brings Greece into line with other member states. The four Greek entries now sit alongside providers from Germany, France and Slovenia, which added six entries in total.
The register’s total count is 359 unique providers.
Why This Matters
MiCA’s passporting system is designed to allow crypto firms to operate across the EU once they pass muster in one member state. Greece joining the register means its providers can start operating under that system.
The HCMC denial is a strong signal from a regulator that wants to be seen as independent. The split between the HCMC and the Bank of Greece shows how Greece has structured its approach. The HCMC handles most crypto providers, while the central bank takes Piraeus Bank.
That division is built into the law. Greece’s implementation of MiCA allows member states to designate more than one competent authority and divide regulatory responsibilities between them.
The Bottom Line
Greece has joined the register, and its four providers are now MiCA-authorized. The HCMC has defended its independence against a claim that Lagarde blocked Binance’s Greek authorization.
The dispute over Binance’s application is settled as far as the register is concerned. Greece is now part of the EU’s crypto oversight framework.
Whether Lagarde’s office agrees is another matter, and the WSJ report stands as the record of the claim. For now, Greece’s crypto sector has a settled position on the register.
Where the paper stands
The paper backs Greece’s small crypto providers and is against any rulebook that favors the biggest firms, including the EU’s MiCA regime, which has already drawn Binance into a public dispute over whether Lagarde blocked its Greek application. The intervention claim remains unverified, resting on secondhand reports rather than direct confirmation from any party named in the dispute.
The HCMC denial matters because it pushes back directly against the report’s specific allegations, and the split between the HCMC and the Bank of Greece shows how Greece has structured its approach to regulation. The paper supports small business against both the agency and the giant, and the dispute shows exactly why: MiCA’s rulebook is being used to settle scores, and the biggest firms are the ones benefiting from it.
For now, Greece’s crypto sector has a settled position on the register. The paper will watch for any further developments, but the current evidence points to a dispute that has been settled as far as the register is concerned.
Source material: “Greece gets first MiCA entrants as watchdog denies Binance-Lagarde claim,” Cointelegraph.
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