European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde intervened in the handling of Binance’s application for a license under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation, according to The Wall Street Journal, as reported by CoinDesk. The ECB does not have formal licensing authority under MiCA. However, the Journal reported that intervention from senior officials led Greece to pause Binance’s application, despite regulators having previously considered the submission complete. The report highlights a dispute over the role of the central bank in the licensing process and the progress of Binance’s planned EU authorization. MiCA establishes the regulatory framework for crypto-asset service providers in the European Union, while national authorities are responsible for licensing decisions. The account concerns Binance and its application status; the supplied report does not provide a date for the intervention or explain what ultimately happened to the application.
