Binance without a MiCA licence - what does it mean for Polish investors?
In June 2026, the cryptocurrency exchange Binance officially confirmed that neither Binance Poland sp. z o.o. nor any other entity within its group will obtain a MiCA licence before the end of the transitional period, that is by 30 June 2026. The consequence of this decision is clear - from 1 July 2026, the exchange's services for Polish clients will be drastically restricted.
The MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation) is an EU legal act regulating the crypto-asset market. Its aim is to protect investors, counter money laundering and create a uniform regulatory framework across the entire European Union. The absence of a MiCA licence means that an entity cannot lawfully provide crypto-asset services to clients from EU member states.
For thousands of Polish Binance users, this situation raises serious legal, tax and organisational questions. It is worth understanding which rights investors have and which steps should be taken to protect their assets.
Timetable of restrictions - which services will stop working?
The scope of the changes Binance is introducing from 1 July 2026 is very broad and covers practically all of the platform's key functionalities. Polish users must prepare for significant restrictions on access to investment tools.
Below is a list of the most important services that will be disabled or restricted:
- Spot trading - no possibility of placing new orders; open orders will be automatically cancelled after 48 hours
- Margin trading and trading bots - fully disabled
- Binance Convert - the instant cryptocurrency exchange service will be blocked
- Binance Pay - no possibility of making payments in cryptocurrencies
- Investment products - termination of Simple Earn, ETH and SOL staking, Launchpool, Launchpad, Cloud Mining and Binance Pool
- Binance P2P - disabled as early as 30 June 2026 at 09:00 UTC
- API for new transactions - automated trading will be blocked
The only operations that will remain available after 1 July will be position reduction and withdrawal of assets - both cryptocurrencies and funds in PLN and EUR. Binance states that users' digital assets will remain available for withdrawal indefinitely, in line with applicable regulatory requirements.
Legal and tax consequences for Polish investors
Binance's exit from the Polish market has significant legal consequences that many investors may not be aware of. Above all, the need to move funds to another platform or to a self-custody wallet entails documentation obligations that have a direct impact on tax settlements.
Under Polish tax law, income from cryptocurrencies is subject to 19% capital gains tax (PIT-38). Moving assets between exchanges is not, strictly speaking, a taxable event, but it does need to be properly documented. A lack of proper documentation may cause problems during a potential tax audit.
Several key legal issues deserve attention:
- Transaction history - before closing your account, you should download your full transaction history from Binance, which will be essential for correct tax reporting
- Transfer documentation - every transfer of assets to another platform or to a private wallet should be documented in order to demonstrate continuity of ownership
- Binance terms and conditions and agreement - it is worth analysing whether the restriction of services infringes consumer rights, and checking the conditions for any potential pursuit of claims
- Personal data protection - under the GDPR, users have the right to request information on the processing of their personal data and its erasure once the relationship has ended
Investors running a business involving cryptocurrency trading should additionally consider the impact of these changes on their accounting and compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) regulations.
Transferring assets - what to bear in mind from a legal perspective?
Binance points to two basic solutions for users: moving funds to a self-custody wallet or transferring them to an account with another crypto-asset service provider holding the appropriate licences. Each of these options carries different legal implications.
A self-custody wallet gives the user full control over their private keys, which means sole responsibility for the security of the assets. From a legal perspective, it is important that if access to such a wallet is lost, there is no entity against which a claim can be brought. This option therefore requires appropriate technical safeguards and a well-thought-out strategy for storing keys.
When choosing an alternative exchange, it is essential to verify that the entity holds a valid MiCA licence or an appropriate national authorisation. Using exchanges without the required licences may expose an investor to the risk of losing funds without the possibility of pursuing claims within the European legal system. You should also read the new platform's terms and conditions carefully, paying particular attention to provisions on liability, jurisdiction and the complaints procedure.
It is worth stressing that haste when transferring assets increases the risk of costly mistakes - from sending cryptocurrencies to the wrong address to overlooking important verification requirements on the new platform.
MiCA regulation and the future of the cryptocurrency market in Poland
Binance's situation is part of a broader regulatory process that is changing the cryptocurrency market landscape across Europe. The MiCA regulation, which has been entering into force gradually since 2024, introduces mandatory licensing of crypto-asset service providers (CASPs), capital requirements, consumer protection rules and transparency standards.
For Polish investors, these regulations mean above all greater legal certainty. Licensed exchanges are supervised by the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF) and European regulatory bodies, which provides mechanisms for protecting client funds. At the same time, the new rules impose additional reporting and compliance obligations on investors.
The Binance case shows that even the largest global platforms must adapt to European legal requirements. For individual investors and entrepreneurs operating in the cryptocurrency market, it is a signal that professional legal assistance in this area is becoming not a luxury but a necessity.
Need legal help? Contact our firm
If you are a Binance user and do not know how to carry out an asset transfer correctly, secure your tax documentation or assess your rights as a consumer - contact our firm. Our lawyers specialise in technology law, cryptocurrency market regulation and tax law.
We offer comprehensive legal support, including analysis of an individual investor's situation, preparation of documentation for tax reporting, review of the terms and conditions of alternative platforms, and representation in disputes with crypto-asset service providers. Do not wait until the last day - the sooner you act, the better you will protect your assets. Book a consultation today.
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