Greece issued its first MiCA crypto licences in July 2026, and its law does not mention crypto ATMs
Greece applies MiCA through Law 5193/2025, with the Hellenic Capital Market Commission as licensing authority. The transition for registered providers ended on 30 June 2026, and the first licences followed in July 2026. A press report says one licensee runs a crypto ATM network. The law articles reviewed do not mention ATMs.
● Orange
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3
HCMC licences granted between 30 June and 7 August 2026, as reported
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30 Jun 2026
End of the transition for providers registered by 27 December 2024
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1 year
Minimum prison term for knowingly providing crypto-asset services without authorisation
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Greece applies MiCA through Law 5193/2025, with the Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC) as licensing authority.4 The transition for registered providers ended on 30 June 2026, and the first licences followed in July 2026.1,5,8 A press report says one licensee runs a crypto ATM network.7 The law articles reviewed do not mention ATMs.1,2,3
Last updated: October 2026
Regulatory Framework
Law 5193/2025, "Strengthening of the capital market and other provisions", was published in Government Gazette A' 56 on 11 April 2025, according to a law firm guide.4 The HCMC is the competent authority for most crypto-asset service providers. The Bank of Greece has a role where tokens referencing assets or e-money are involved.4
Article 125 sets the transition. Providers of exchange services between virtual and fiat currencies, and of custodian wallets, that were registered by 27 December 2024 in the register under Law 4557/2018 could keep operating until 30 June 2026, or until the HCMC granted or refused a MiCA authorisation, whichever came first. Providers seated in another member state could continue until the end of that state's transition if earlier. The special register stayed in force until 30 June 2026.1
Article 104 lets the HCMC or the Bank of Greece suspend crypto-asset services for up to 30 consecutive working days, prohibit services, and order an immediate halt to unlicensed services without notice.3 Article 107 makes it a criminal offence to knowingly provide crypto-asset services by way of business without the authorisation MiCA requires. The penalty is imprisonment of at least one year, and for a company it falls on the person who manages it. The article sets no monetary fine.2
Licensing Timeline
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 11 Apr 2025 | Law 5193/2025 published (as reported by a law firm)4 |
| 30 Jun 2026 | Transition under Article 125 ends1 |
| 22 Jul 2026 | HCMC licenses Xenios Blockchain Group, for receiving and transmitting orders, and Capital Wallet Greece, for five services including exchange of crypto-assets for fiat currency (as reported)5 |
| Late Jul 2026 | BCASH S.A. described as the first Greek firm licensed by the HCMC. No exact date was given7 |
| 24 Sep 2026 | ESMA register adds four Greek providers: BCASH, Xenios, Capital Wallet and Piraeus Bank, the last authorised by the Bank of Greece (as reported)8 |
The HCMC Chair said that a completeness check takes 25 working days, followed by up to 40 working days for a decision.6 A report puts the three HCMC approvals between 30 June and 7 August 2026.8 The reports differ on the order and exact dates of the first licences, and the HCMC register could not be checked.
Crypto ATMs
Articles 98, 104, 107, 110 and 125 of the law, the sections reviewed, do not mention ATMs or machines.1,2,3 A Greek financial news site reports that BCASH has run a crypto ATM network and franchise stores since 2017, and that it was on the HCMC register since 31 March 2021.7 The report does not say which services the BCASH licence covers, and no HCMC document reviewed describes how machines are treated.
What Is Not Known
The sections of the law reviewed were consolidated article pages, not the full gazette text, so rules on capital, local presence and ATMs elsewhere in the law were not checked. The HCMC register and the licence decisions could not be opened, so the licence holders, dates and services above are from press reports and may be incomplete. Whether an ATM operator needs the exchange service authorisation, how customer due diligence applies at a machine, and whether Greek law sets cash limits for machines were not confirmed. These are questions for Greek counsel and the HCMC.
Sources and references
1. Law 5193/2025, Article 125, Transitional provisions of Part C, as published by Taxheaven (PRIMARY text, accessed 8 October 2026) | taxheaven.gr
2. Law 5193/2025, Article 107, Professional provision of crypto-asset services without a licence, Taxheaven (PRIMARY text, accessed 8 October 2026) | taxheaven.gr
3. Law 5193/2025, Article 104, Powers of competent authorities, Taxheaven (PRIMARY text, accessed 8 October 2026) | taxheaven.gr
4. Global Law Experts, MiCA CASP Licence in Greece (SECONDARY, accessed 8 October 2026) | globallawexperts.com
5. Athens Times, Hellenic Capital Market Commission grants first two crypto licences, July 2026 (SECONDARY, accessed 8 October 2026) | athens-times.com
6. Newmoney.gr, Crypto: the first licences change the market map, 3 August 2026 (SECONDARY, accessed 8 October 2026) | newmoney.gr
7. Newmoney.gr, A new era for the Greek crypto market, 2 August 2026 (SECONDARY, accessed 8 October 2026) | newmoney.gr
8. The Cryptonomist, Greek MiCA CASP entries mark new crypto regulatory phase, 30 September 2026 (SECONDARY, accessed 8 October 2026) | cryptonomist.ch
Legal Disclaimer: This article by GENERAL BYTES is for informational purposes only and does not constitute formal legal, financial, or investment advice. Rules may change; always consult specialised local legal counsel and confirm the current position with the Hellenic Capital Market Commission before considering market entry.