Crypto · Regulation
Binance tells users in France, Spain, Italy and Poland to withdraw before monthly fees start on 29 November, with accounts closing on 31 December
Binance is closing affected EU accounts on 31 December after MiCA's transition ended. The dates, the 10 USDC minimum fee and what is still unconfirmed.
Binance customers in France, Spain, Italy and Poland have shared emails telling them to move their funds off the exchange. A Binance spokesperson confirmed to CoinDesk on 7 November 2026 that "affected accounts will be closed with effect from 31 December 2026," calling it "a carefully managed process."
Here is what the notices say, what has been confirmed, and what is still open.
Why this is happening
The EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation (MiCA) requires an exchange to hold an authorisation in one member state before it can serve customers across the bloc. National transition periods let firms keep operating under older local registrations while they applied. According to CoinDesk, those transition arrangements have now ended, and Binance still does not appear on the European Securities and Markets Authority's register of authorised crypto providers.
CoinDesk also reported that France's market regulator, the AMF, lists Binance France's registration (held since May 2022) as having lapsed automatically on 2 July, when France's national regime ended and more than 50 unlicensed providers were removed. Binance withdrew a Greek MiCA application in June and has said it will seek approval in another member state, which it has not named.
The four countries named are the ones where Binance ran locally registered businesses, CoinDesk said. Users in countries without a local Binance entity, such as Portugal, have not been singled out in the same way, according to Portuguese newspaper Expresso as cited by CoinDesk.
The key dates
| Date | What the emails say happens |
|---|---|
| Now | Deposits blocked; crypto and fiat withdrawals still open |
| 29 Nov 2026 | Monthly fee starts on any remaining crypto balance; first charge within three days |
| After 24 Dec 2026 | Second monthly charge |
| 31 Dec 2026 | Affected accounts closed |
Sources: CoinDesk and CryptoWatchDesk, 7 November 2026.
How the fee works
The emails describe a monthly charge of 0.025% of the remaining crypto balance or 10 USDC, whichever is higher, CoinDesk reported. Fees are taken from USDC first, then from other crypto if there is not enough USDC. If an account holds less than the fee, the whole balance can be taken.
Because of the 10 USDC minimum, FinanceFeeds notes that any account holding less than roughly 40,000 USDC would pay the flat 10 USDC rather than the percentage. For a small account still open after both dates, two charges at the minimum would total 20 USDC. Several outlets, including CryptoWatchDesk and Criptovaluta.it, report that customers who withdraw everything before 29 November are not charged.
Crypto left after 31 December will be treated as inactive and "may" be converted or transferred under Binance's terms of use, according to the email text published by CryptoWatchDesk.
What is confirmed and what is not
- Confirmed by Binance's spokesperson (CoinDesk): the 31 December closure date, blocked deposits, open withdrawals, and that there is "no sudden freeze."
- Not in a public Binance announcement: the exact fee schedule. FinanceFeeds and CoinDesk both note it comes from customer emails, though Binance's published terms already allow a monthly dormant-account fee.
- Binance's explanation: co-CEO Yi He said on X that local regulators require assets to be held by a third-party custodian and that Binance subsidises that custody cost, as translated by CryptoWatchDesk.
What affected users usually check
This is a practical deadline story, not a market call. People in the four countries typically check whether their own account received the notice, list every balance (including small "dust" amounts and fiat), and confirm the withdrawal address and network before moving funds. Our guide on whether crypto is safe on an exchange covers custody choices, and risk management basics explains why concentrating assets on one platform carries its own risk.
Binance said its "commitment to Europe remains unchanged" and that it is "actively progressing" its authorisation. Whether a new licence arrives before 31 December is not known.
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Sources
- CoinDesk, Binance users in some European countries told to pull crypto before fees kick in, with accounts closing by year end (spokesperson quotes, fee terms, AMF and ESMA register details), 7 November 2026
- FinanceFeeds, Binance to close affected EU accounts by December 31 after MiCA transition (fee order, ~40,000 USDC break-even, fee schedule not in a public announcement), November 2026
- CryptoWatchDesk, Binance France closes accounts 31 Dec, fees from 29 Nov (email text via Cryptoast, co-CEO Yi He on third-party custody), updated 7 November 2026
- Criptovaluta.it, Binance: commissioni da novembre e chiusura dei conti dal 31 dicembre (Italian users), November 2026
Not financial advice. This article is for general information and education only. It is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any asset. Prices move quickly and figures quoted may already be out of date; markets involve risk, including the loss of capital. See our disclaimer.