Binance’s French subsidiary announced that it will begin charging a management fee on any account that remains open after Nov. 29, 2026, and will fully close all customer accounts on Dec. 31, 2026. The move comes after the exchange failed to secure a licence under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto‑Assets (MiCA) framework, which became mandatory for crypto service providers on June 30, 2026.

Fee structure and timeline

According to Bitcoin.com News, the fee will be the greater of 0.025 % of the account balance or a flat 10 USDC per month. The first charge will be applied within three days of Nov. 29, with a second charge expected after Dec. 24. Because of the 10 USDC floor, accounts holding less than roughly $40,000 in crypto will pay the minimum fee, potentially losing 20 USDC across the two billing cycles. Fees are deducted first from any USDC held, then from other assets, and if the balance is insufficient Binance will take the remaining funds.

Closure process and user options

The exchange sent an email to all Binance France users stating that any assets not withdrawn by Dec. 31 will be considered inactive and may be converted, transferred, or otherwise handled under the platform’s terms of use. Users who withdraw all funds before the Nov. 29 “calculation day” can avoid the fees entirely. Binance France estimates that around two million French customers were affected when spot, margin and futures trading were halted on July 1 after the MiCA deadline passed.

Regulatory context and industry impact

The fee and shutdown are direct consequences of MiCA’s licensing requirements. TRM Labs data cited by Bitcoin.com News shows that only 281 of 1,343 crypto service providers have secured authorisation, effectively removing 80 % of firms from the European market. Licensed competitors such as Coinbase and OKX have launched campaigns to attract displaced Binance users. The broader question remains whether Binance will re‑enter the EU through a licence in another jurisdiction, a topic still under discussion in France’s ongoing MiCA review.

What to watch next

Observers will monitor whether Binance seeks a MiCA licence elsewhere in the bloc, how French regulators enforce the conversion of remaining assets, and the response of competing exchanges in capturing the displaced user base.