#EUPrivacyCoinBan

Cryptocurrencies known as "privacy coins" such as Monero and Zcash have faced increasing regulatory challenges within the European Union. In 2025, the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulations came into effect, imposing strict obligations on digital financial platforms regarding anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing. This trend contradicts the nature of privacy coins, which focus on concealing user identities.

One of the notable reactions came when Binance announced in June 2023 the removal of 12 privacy coins in several European countries, but later reversed this decision after reviewing its compliance with the regulations, opting instead for a new regulatory classification that allows these coins to remain under certain conditions. In September 2023, Binance again decided to halt trading of Monero and several privacy coins for users in Belgium through its Polish entity, highlighting the ongoing regulatory pressures.

These moves indicate an escalation of the European campaign to reduce the use of hard-to-trace cryptocurrencies. Although there is currently no comprehensive ban, the regulatory trajectory suggests that trading in privacy coins in Europe will become more restrictive in the upcoming phase.