The European Union has issued 244 MiCA crypto-asset service provider (CASP) licenses as of June 29, 2026, according to European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) data. Germany leads with 57 licenses, followed by France with 26 — together the two nations hold more than one-third of all permits granted across the bloc.
Financial Hub Concentration Drives License Distribution
Germany, France, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Ireland collectively control roughly 72% of all financial assets in the EU, a concentration that translates directly into faster regulatory processing and higher applicant interest. France alone issued five licenses in a single week (June 18-22) out of 11 total permits granted across the entire EU during that period. This is not accidental — financial hub nations attract more applications because of mature regulatory infrastructure and resources.
Five Nations at Zero: Poland Stuck After Three Presidential Vetoes
Greece, Hungary, Poland, Portugal and Romania have yet to issue any MiCA licenses. Poland's situation stands out: the country has still not established a licensing regime compliant with MiCA, as relevant legislation has been vetoed three times by the president, leaving its domestic crypto industry in regulatory limbo. For traders, this means platforms operating in these countries without a license from elsewhere cannot legally serve them after July 1.
July 1 Deadline Hits: Spain Says No Exceptions, No Extensions
The MiCA framework requires any crypto firm without a license to cease providing services in the EU after July 1. Spain's securities regulator has already stated there will be no exceptions or extensions. Any exchange still operating without approval now faces an abrupt halt this week, directly affecting traders who depend on those platforms for liquidity, asset access and trading pairs that may be hard to replace elsewhere.
Binance's Greek Bid Derailed by Politics; Bybit Opts to Retreat
Binance founder CZ said the exchange's Greek application was fully compliant and close to approval from at least one EU regulator, but was withdrawn after political forces intervened. He described a bidding war between two countries that wanted Binance's application before other forces moved against it, and stopped short of confirming whether ECB President Christine Lagarde played any role, saying he had only seen unverified claims online.
Bybit has taken a notably different path: it will gradually restrict EEA residents' access to certain Bybit Global services while users keep access to assets already held in custody. Bybit EU, its MiCAR-authorized entity, is pursuing an additional license in Austria to widen its product range.
What's Next: Binance's France Bid and Stalled Legislation
Regulators have signaled little room for flexibility. Traders should watch for Binance's next licensing attempt, reportedly aimed at France, and whether any of the five license-free countries make progress on stalled legislation in coming months. With the July 1 deadline now in effect, the coming weeks will reveal which major exchanges successfully adapt and which are forced to scale back their European presence.