Binance France tells users accounts will close on Dec. 31

What happened

Binance France has begun emailing customers that their accounts will close on Dec. 31, 2026, as part of an orderly wind-down. Reports from Cryptoast, Crypto Briefing, Cointelegraph and crypto.news say notices went out in early November. The emails also say balances left after Nov. 29 will face monthly maintenance charges.

The charge is 0.025% of the crypto balance each month, with a minimum of 10 USDC. Binance applies the higher amount, so accounts below roughly $40,000 in crypto would pay the 10 USDC minimum. Withdrawing all assets before Nov. 29 avoids the fee; the reports do not say ordinary blockchain withdrawal fees are waived.

Binance confirmed affected European accounts will close on Dec. 31 after the MiCA transition period. A spokesperson told CoinDesk the closures are a managed process and that users had already been informed about restrictions. Deposits are blocked for affected accounts, while crypto and fiat withdrawals remain available. Similar notices reached customers in France, Spain, Italy and Poland, though Binance has not published a country-by-country count. The French email cited by Cryptoast warns that assets not withdrawn by Dec. 31 may lead Binance to treat the account as inactive under its terms, which could result in conversion, transfer or other handling of remaining crypto.

Why it matters

The notices create two deadlines for affected users: Nov. 29 to withdraw and avoid fees, and Dec. 31 for account closure. For small balances, the minimum charge can be large relative to holdings; crypto.news notes that a $100 balance would pay 10 USDC, or 10%. The reports say the entire remaining amount may be deducted if it is below the applicable charge. The closures also show how the end of MiCA is changing exchange access at the national level.

What the data shows

The first fee calculation is Nov. 29, with the initial deduction due within the following three days, according to the notices. Another calculation is expected after Dec. 24, which could produce a second charge before closure. Binance will take fees from available USDC first and may use other crypto if that is insufficient. Media reports say Binance's global client base is at least 300 million and its app was downloaded more than 4 million times in the EU last year.

Background

MiCA replaced national registrations with a single authorization system. France's AMF said the transition ended July 1, making authorization mandatory for covered services. Public records show Binance France SAS had held national registration since May 4, 2022; it expired automatically on July 2 because the earlier French regime ended and the company had not obtained MiCA authorization. Binance had pursued an EU license through Greece but withdrew that application in June, crypto.news reported, and later said it would seek authorization in another member state without naming one.

Cointelegraph reported in late June that Binance had told EU users key services would be restricted after it missed the July 1 MiCA deadline. A Binance spokesperson told Cointelegraph that after the transition the exchange is progressively restricting certain services for affected users under a previously communicated schedule. In July, crypto.news reported French customers faced restrictions after spot and margin trading stopped; withdrawals remained available.

What is still unclear

The reports do not say how many customers are affected or the total value of assets involved. Binance has not published a country-by-country count. Cointelegraph asked about reports of similar emails in Spain and Belgium, but the spokesperson did not address them; crypto.news said notices circulated in France, Spain, Italy and Poland.

What to watch

Binance says it continues to pursue an EU licensing route while closing affected accounts. The next points to watch are whether the company announces a new authorization, how residual balances are handled after Dec. 31, and whether the wind-down prompts further regulatory or customer action.

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