Binance gives French users until November 29 to withdraw crypto or pay fees

Binance has told French customers its Binance France accounts will close on December 31, 2026, and that anyone still holding crypto after November 29 will pay a monthly fee of 0.025% of their balance, with a 10 USDC minimum, according to French outlets Cryptoast and CryptoActu, which reproduced the notice on November 7.

The exchange stopped providing most services in France on July 1, 2026, after it failed to secure a MiCA licence before the EU transition ended, and accounts have been limited to withdrawals since.

Binance France introduces withdrawal fees ahead of account closures

The latest notification gives customers two important deadlines: November 29, when balance-related fees begin, and December 31, when account closures take effect.

According to the notification reproduced by French crypto publications Cryptoast and CryptoActu, Binance France will charge customers who retain cryptocurrency balances on the platform after November 29. The monthly charge is set at 0.025% of the remaining balance, subject to a minimum fee of 10 USDC.

The first deduction is expected within three days of November 29, while another is scheduled after December 24. Binance will deduct the charges from customers’ available USDC balances first. Where insufficient USDC is available, other cryptocurrency holdings may be used to cover the amount.

Customers who withdraw all their digital assets before November 29 will not be charged the new fees, according to the reported notification.

The exchange has also warned that accounts remaining active beyond the December deadline will be closed. Customers who fail to withdraw their assets before then risk having their holdings treated as inactive under Binance’s terms of service, potentially allowing the company to convert, transfer or otherwise handle the remaining assets.

In the notification reproduced by Cryptoast, Binance stated:

> “En raison de la cessation ordonnée des activités, votre compte Binance France sera clôturé à compter du 31 décembre 2026.”

The statement translates to: “Due to the orderly cessation of activities, your Binance France account will be closed from December 31, 2026.”

The announcement effectively ends the withdrawal-only period that followed the exchange’s failure to obtain the necessary European authorisation.

MiCA deadline leaves Binance without regulatory clearance

The developments stem from the implementation of the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation, which establishes a common regulatory framework for cryptocurrency businesses operating across the bloc.

MiCA requires crypto-asset service providers to obtain authorisation from a national competent authority before offering regulated services across EU member states. Once authorised in one member state, eligible providers can use the regulatory passporting system to operate in other EU countries.

France’s transitional arrangement allowed previously registered digital asset service providers to continue operating while seeking the new authorisation. However, the transition ended on July 1, 2026.

The French Financial Markets Authority (AMF) had warned companies in February that they needed to secure MiCA authorisation before the deadline or prepare an orderly cessation of their activities.

The regulator subsequently confirmed that providers without the required authorisation could no longer rely on their previous French registration to offer crypto-asset services.

Binance had initially pursued authorisation in Greece, but withdrew its application on June 24, shortly before the deadline. The exchange indicated that it intended to pursue approval through another European jurisdiction.

In a statement reported by CoinDesk in June, Binance maintained that its European ambitions remained unchanged.

“Our ambitions in Europe remain the same, and we are confident we will secure a MiCA licence in the coming months,” the company said.

However, the withdrawal of its Greek application left Binance without the authorisation needed to continue its regulated services across the European market when the transitional period expired.

The AMF’s subsequent regulatory records showed that Binance France SAS, previously registered as a digital asset service provider, was removed from the French register on July 2, 2026, following the end of the transitional arrangement.

Binance France shutdown raises wider questions about European strategy

The French closure also comes amid increasing scrutiny of how Binance intends to maintain its presence in Europe without a MiCA licence.

A Financial Times report published in October revealed that European and national regulators were questioning Binance’s reliance on the so-called reverse solicitation exemption to continue serving some customers in the bloc.

The exemption allows a crypto company outside the EU to provide certain services when a customer independently initiates the relationship. However, European rules place strict limits on its use, and regulators are concerned that companies could exploit it to circumvent MiCA authorisation requirements. Financial Times

Authorities in France, Germany and Greece have reportedly requested information from Binance regarding its approach. The scrutiny could expose the exchange to further regulatory action if supervisors conclude that its activities breach European requirements.

For Binance, the French withdrawal represents more than the closure of a national operation. It demonstrates the consequences of failing to meet a regulatory deadline in a market where authorisation increasingly determines whether cryptocurrency platforms can operate.

Nevertheless, the French shutdown does not automatically mean Binance is abandoning the entire European market. The company has maintained that it intends to secure MiCA authorisation through an alternative jurisdiction, although a successful application has yet to be publicly established.

For customers, the immediate priority is the withdrawal of remaining funds before the announced deadlines. Binance France’s December 31 closure date and November 29 fee deadline leave affected users with limited time to make alternative arrangements.

The situation also illustrates how MiCA is reshaping Europe’s cryptocurrency industry, forcing established exchanges to align their operations with a common regulatory framework or withdraw from markets where they cannot secure approval.