Binance to stop providing services to EU clients after failing to obtain a license
Binance has notified its customers in the European Union that it will halt services to them starting next week, after concluding it will not hold a license to operate in the region — a notable setback for the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange.
Beginning July 1, every crypto firm operating in the EU must hold a license under the bloc’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) or face penalties.
Binance’s bid in Greece for a bloc-wide license was turned down last week, less than two weeks before the deadline takes effect. The exchange now intends to apply through France, where it has previously held talks about a license, according to people familiar with its thinking. Even if that application succeeds, approval would likely come well after the July 1 deadline, and the exchange cannot serve EU customers in the interim.
Customers in Poland, Italy, Spain, and France — countries where Binance currently holds local licenses — received emails this week explaining how to withdraw their funds, as the company will not be granted a MiCA license by June 30, 2026.
Wife of Spanish Prime Minister to Stand Trial for Corruption
Begoña Gómez, wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, will stand trial on charges of corruption and influence peddling in her role as first lady, a judge ruled on Saturday.
Gómez has been under investigation since 2024, after a self-described anti-corruption group filed a complaint alleging that she backed a public contract bid by a group of companies with which she has personal and professional ties. She has denied the allegations, but a judge in Madrid found sufficient evidence to bring her to trial.
Judge Juan Carlos Peinado filed charges of embezzlement, corruption, misappropriation of funds, and influence peddling against Gómez. He ordered her to surrender her passport and report to a court every 15 days. A trial date has not yet been set.
Former NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ chief of staff arrested in corruption probe
Frank Carone, former chief of staff to former New York City Mayor Eric Adams, along with his brother and two other people, has been indicted on bribery and money laundering conspiracy charges tied to what a federal indictment describes as a scheme to profit from the city’s migrant crisis. The indictment was unsealed on Wednesday.
Carone, regarded in New York political circles as a close adviser to Adams, was arrested Wednesday morning after federal law enforcement officers searched his home, according to a law enforcement source.
The 13-count indictment, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, also names Carone’s brother, Anthony Carone, and employees Crystal Chen and Yan Po Zhu. All four defendants pleaded not guilty on Wednesday afternoon and were released on bond, with Frank Carone’s set at $2 million.
