Binance Visa Debit Card Services to End in Europe by December

Binance Visa Debit Card Services to End in Europe by December

Time Stamp: October 20, 2023 5:45 PM
Binance Visa Debit Card Services to End in Europe by December PlatoBlockchain Data Intelligence. Vertical Search. Ai.

Binance is planning to end its debit card services in the European Economic Area (EEA) on December 20, 2023. This decision, outlined in an official announcement yesterday (Friday), will not affect Binance accounts.

The move occurs as the cryptocurrency exchange
grapples with regulatory pressure and challenges, reflecting a broader trend
in the cryptocurrency industry. The card issuer, Contis Financial Services,
will halt the issuance of the Binance Visa Debit Cards. Contis is an electronic money
institution and currency exchange operator owned by Solaris Group.

“Your Binance accounts are not affected,” Binance stated. “Holders of the Binance Visa Debit Card issued
under the EEA program will have until December 20, 2023, 00:00 (UTC+0) to use their
cards, after which card purchases will no longer be possible.”

While Binance’s Card services in the EEA are drawing
to a close, the top crypto exchange has committed to providing an alternative solution for its users. In a statement, Binance recommended Binance Pay, a
cryptocurrency payment technology, for its users to utilize in shopping with crypto
at the supported merchants.

Binance introduced the Binance Visa Debit Card to the EEA in 2020.
It allows users to convert and spend their digital assets at over 60 million
locations worldwide. The EEA includes all 27 European Union member states, as
well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. Despite its widespread adoption,
Binance noted that only a small fraction of its users, approximately 1%, will
be affected.

Navigating Regulatory Scrutiny

This decision follows a series of setbacks for
Binance and its US affiliate, Binance.US. Recently, Binance.US announced that US
customers could only withdraw dollars by converting fiat currency into stablecoin. In June, the platform suspended US dollar deposits and warned about the suspension of withdrawals.

Binance Visa Debit Card operates like a conventional
debit card but with a crypto twist. It allows users to hold digital assets such
as BTC, BNB, and BUSD. The card is linked to a card wallet within Binance’s accounts. This connection allows users to replenish their funds from their spot wallet.

Binance Visa Debit Card converts crypto funds into local
currency when making purchases, enabling instant purchases. This service was terminated after after
Binance restored euro deposits and withdrawals, which had been unavailable
for a month due to the exit of its payments processor, Paysafe.

Binance is planning to end its debit card services in the European Economic Area (EEA) on December 20, 2023. This decision, outlined in an official announcement yesterday (Friday), will not affect Binance accounts.

The move occurs as the cryptocurrency exchange
grapples with regulatory pressure and challenges, reflecting a broader trend
in the cryptocurrency industry. The card issuer, Contis Financial Services,
will halt the issuance of the Binance Visa Debit Cards. Contis is an electronic money
institution and currency exchange operator owned by Solaris Group.

“Your Binance accounts are not affected,” Binance stated. “Holders of the Binance Visa Debit Card issued
under the EEA program will have until December 20, 2023, 00:00 (UTC+0) to use their
cards, after which card purchases will no longer be possible.”

While Binance’s Card services in the EEA are drawing
to a close, the top crypto exchange has committed to providing an alternative solution for its users. In a statement, Binance recommended Binance Pay, a
cryptocurrency payment technology, for its users to utilize in shopping with crypto
at the supported merchants.

Binance introduced the Binance Visa Debit Card to the EEA in 2020.
It allows users to convert and spend their digital assets at over 60 million
locations worldwide. The EEA includes all 27 European Union member states, as
well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. Despite its widespread adoption,
Binance noted that only a small fraction of its users, approximately 1%, will
be affected.

Navigating Regulatory Scrutiny

This decision follows a series of setbacks for
Binance and its US affiliate, Binance.US. Recently, Binance.US announced that US
customers could only withdraw dollars by converting fiat currency into stablecoin. In June, the platform suspended US dollar deposits and warned about the suspension of withdrawals.

Binance Visa Debit Card operates like a conventional
debit card but with a crypto twist. It allows users to hold digital assets such
as BTC, BNB, and BUSD. The card is linked to a card wallet within Binance’s accounts. This connection allows users to replenish their funds from their spot wallet.

Binance Visa Debit Card converts crypto funds into local
currency when making purchases, enabling instant purchases. This service was terminated after after
Binance restored euro deposits and withdrawals, which had been unavailable
for a month due to the exit of its payments processor, Paysafe.

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