LONDON – After facing one of biggest crypto robbery, Binance is preparing to close affected customer accounts across several European countries, leaving users facing December 31 deadline to withdraw their digital assets or risk mounting charges and possible complications over their remaining funds.
The sweeping move, linked to tightening EU cryptocurrency regulations, triggered fresh concerns among account holders in France, Spain, Italy and Poland, where customers have reportedly received notices warning of account closures and new maintenance fees. While Binance insists customers’ funds remain accessible, the approaching deadlines could prove particularly costly for users who leave even small amounts of cryptocurrency in their accounts.
Deadline for Crypto Account Closures
The leading cryptocurrency exchange is moving ahead with gradual shutdown of certain European customer accounts following regulatory changes that have disrupted its operations across the region.
Binance confirmed that affected accounts would be closed effective December 31, 2026, describing the process as a controlled transition involving restrictions introduced in stages. Customers covered by the decision are already unable to make fresh deposits, while withdrawals of existing cryptocurrency and fiat balances remain available.
The company attempted to calm fears of sudden financial lockout, maintaining that customers’ holdings remain secure and that the closure process will not involve an unexpected freezing of assets. However, customers who fail to act before the specified deadlines could face financial penalties through maintenance charges and further restrictions once their accounts are closed.
10 USDC Monthly Charges from November 29
Another update for affected users is a new monthly maintenance fee scheduled to take effect on November 29, 2026. Under the announced arrangement, Binance will deduct 0.025 percent of the remaining cryptocurrency balance or 10 USDC per month, whichever is higher.
This means customers with relatively small holdings could face deductions disproportionate to the value of their cryptocurrency. The first deduction is expected within three days after November 29, while another charge is anticipated after December 24.
Binance will generally recover the amount from available USDC balances before turning to other cryptocurrencies if necessary. In cases where a customer’s remaining balance is insufficient to cover the fee, the entire amount could potentially be deducted.
Customers who completely empty their affected accounts before the November 29 calculation date can avoid the maintenance fee, although normal cryptocurrency network and withdrawal charges will continue to apply.
The latest warnings comes from multiple European countries, raising questions about the broader scale of Binance’s regulatory troubles. France appears to be at the center of the developments, with detailed account closure notices reportedly reaching Binance France customers around November 6.
Users in Spain, Italy and Poland have also shared similar communications, suggesting the restrictions extend beyond a single national market.
Earlier service limitations were additionally reported in countries including Belgium and Sweden, although their inclusion in the December account closure arrangements has not been fully established.
Binance has yet to publish a complete country-by-country breakdown of affected accounts or disclose precisely how many customers could lose access to their existing accounts.
The account shutdowns follow a major regulatory shift under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation, commonly known as MiCA. The framework requires cryptocurrency service providers to obtain authorization in an EU member state before providing regulated services across the bloc.
Binance faced a significant setback in June 2026 when it withdrew its MiCA authorization application in Greece. According to the latest reported information, the company has not subsequently obtained equivalent authorization elsewhere in the European Union. Meanwhile, some national registrations under which Binance previously operated, including in France, expired around early July 2026.
With regulatory transition deadlines approaching, the exchange began scaling back services in several European countries in late June and early July. Restrictions introduced around July 1 affected new customer registrations, fresh deposits, cryptocurrency trading and Earn products.
Customers who ignore the account closure deadline could encounter additional difficulties in recovering or managing their remaining cryptocurrency. Once the accounts are closed, assets left on the exchange may be treated as inactive under Binance’s applicable terms and conditions.
Despite the growing concerns, Binance has not announced a complete withdrawal from every European Union market. The closures primarily concern accounts associated with particular local entities and registrations, rather than automatically affecting all Binance customers residing in Europe.
With November 29 approaching, account holders who have received official closure notices face an important decision over their remaining cryptocurrency. Users can move their holdings into personal self-custody wallets or transfer them to cryptocurrency exchanges operating with appropriate authorization under European regulations.
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