Coinbase has made Luxembourg its European headquarters under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) rules, giving the US-based exchange access to almost 450 million users across the EU and EEA.
This move comes as MiCA’s transition period is ending. Meanwhile, Binance has not secured a MiCA licence in Greece, putting its European business at risk before the July 1 deadline.
These developments show that compliance with regulations is quickly becoming a major advantage in Europe’s evolving crypto market.
Coinbase has opened a new regional office in Luxembourg, making it the company’s official MiCA base. This follows Coinbase’s successful approval for a MiCA licence from the CSSF, Luxembourg’s financial regulator.
With this licence, Coinbase can now offer its services in all 27 EU countries, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway, under one regulatory approval. This replaces the company’s previous mix of national licences and makes its operations in the region simpler.
Coinbase Chief Policy Officer Faryar Shirzad opened the new office with Luxembourg’s Finance Minister Gilles Roth. Shirzad praised Luxembourg for supporting blockchain and digital assets, saying the country provides the clear rules needed for long-term growth. Coinbase is also hiring locally to support its growing business in Europe.
This decision is a change from Coinbase’s earlier plan to base its European operations in Ireland. The company chose Luxembourg instead, pointing to quicker regulatory progress and more support for blockchain innovation. Luxembourg has passed several blockchain laws along with MiCA, making it a top choice for digital asset companies in Europe.
Coinbase’s progress is very different from Binance’s recent difficulties. Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, said its MiCA licence application in Greece was rejected. As a result, Binance is not listed as an authorised crypto service provider by the European Securities and Markets Authority.
Binance says it still meets MiCA rules and has about 1,500 compliance staff worldwide. However, it now needs to get approval from another EU country before the July 1, 2026 deadline. After that, exchanges without a CASP licence cannot legally serve customers in the EU.
Binance’s licensing problems in Europe follow earlier regulatory issues in the US. In 2023, the company paid over $4.3 billion in penalties for breaking anti-money laundering and sanctions rules.
Coinbase is not the only exchange with MiCA approval. Other companies like OKX, Kraken, Bybit, BitGo, and eToro have also received licences. Still, this latest step makes Coinbase more attractive to institutional investors looking for fully regulated trading platforms.
As Europe moves toward unified rules for digital assets, Coinbase seems ready to benefit from more institutional involvement. Exchanges still waiting for approval may soon be under pressure to catch up.
Luxembourg has established itself as the EU’s leading hub for institutional crypto and tokenization. The country has long taken a thoughtful, innovation-oriented approach to blockchain technology and to digital assets.
That is why we are delighted to have chosen Luxembourg as… pic.twitter.com/qr8gB5n2L5
— Faryar Shirzad 🛡️ (@faryarshirzad) June 24, 2026
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