The EU MiCA license exam is approaching: the exchange compliance race has begun

ZkSnarker · 2026-01-23T09:10:11+00:00

The European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) license application process has begun, with many exchanges rushing to apply to comply with the regulations. France has a tight deadline for companies that have not yet obtained licenses, and the speed of license approval varies significantly between European countries, potentially affecting the compliance and survival of exchanges. A wave of industry reshuffling is expected in the second half of the year.

ZkSnarker

2026-01-23 09:10:11

Abstract generation in progress

【ChainNews】The EU’s “Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation” (MiCA) license application wave has officially started. A leading exchange recently submitted its MiCA license application to the Hellenic Capital Market Commission, aiming to meet the upcoming compliance deadline.

Where does the pressure come from? French regulators published a list on January 13th—90 companies that are registered but have not yet obtained a MiCA license. These companies were given a timetable: June 30th is the end of the transition period. If they haven’t received approval by then, they must cease operations in July. The rules are simple and straightforward.

Currently, the speed of license approval varies greatly across European countries. Greece has not issued a single MiCA license yet, meaning if you choose to apply in Greece, you might face a longer wait. In contrast, Germany and the Netherlands are ahead, with license issuance leading other European countries. This sends a clear signal to exchanges that want to quickly achieve compliance—choosing the right regulatory jurisdiction is very important.

For users, this means there will be a wave of compliance reshuffling among exchanges in the second half of this year. Some platforms will pass smoothly, while others may face pressure. The entire industry is watching the progress of this compliance race.

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AirdropHarvester

· 01-26 00:05

Greece's move is really clever, not issuing any permits at all. Are they playing "hunger marketing"... Germany and the Netherlands are taking the initiative first, and now everyone is rushing to line up.

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MevHunter

· 01-25 12:55

Greece's move is quite brilliant—daring to accept applications without issuing a single license. Isn't this digging their own grave?

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MerkleDreamer

· 01-24 22:52

Why does Greece still have 0 licenses... Is this really a suicidal choice? Don't they think it's too slow?

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TradFiRefugee

· 01-23 09:38

Greece's move is really brilliant... Not issuing a single license yet daring to accept applications, isn't this just messing with the exchanges? Germany and the Netherlands must be laughing their heads off right now.

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NotAFinancialAdvice

· 01-23 09:37

The procedures in Greece are extremely slow, it's better to just go directly to Germany... The deadline is June 30, and these transaction gains are urgent.

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MemeCurator

· 01-23 09:25

Greece's move is really brilliant, issuing licenses without any permits... Isn't this just digging their own grave? Those who want to get out quickly are heading to Germany and the Netherlands. Will everyone else be stuck in Greece later? Haha

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SerNgmi

· 01-23 09:22

Wow, Greece really is a坑, not a single certificate has been issued. What are they doing?

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AmateurDAOWatcher

· 01-23 09:16

Haha, Germany and the Netherlands are competing again. Now Greece has become a true "slow lane." These 90 companies seem to either bet on Germany and the Netherlands' speed or wait for the suspension in July. Quite intense.

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RooftopReserver

· 01-23 09:13

This move in Greece is a bit risky. No one has even issued a certificate yet, and someone dares to submit an application? The more urgent it is, the easier it is to fall into a trap.

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