Journalist
Hassan Shittu
Journalist
Hassan Shittu
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Crypto adoption has reached the French Riviera, with more than 80 merchants across the area now accepting stablecoins and cryptocurrency payments, following a new partnership between Binance Pay and French fintech firm Lyzi.
The initiative, which spans cities including Cannes, Nice, Antibes, and Monaco, marks one of the most expansive real-world deployments of crypto payments in a European luxury destination to date.
Binance and Lyzi Bring Crypto Checkout to the French Riviera
According to the announcement, the rollout spans a wide range of businesses, from luxury hotels and beach clubs to opticians, gyms, and high-end retail stores.
More than 100 cryptocurrencies are supported through Binance Pay, including euro and dollar-pegged stablecoins. All transactions are settled instantly in euros for merchants, eliminating exposure to crypto market volatility and streamlining the checkout experience.
The initiative follows a push by Cannes city officials to promote digital asset adoption among local businesses. With support from both municipal leaders and the private sector, the region is positioning itself as a real-world testing ground for crypto integration in tourism and retail.
“This adoption of crypto payments in a world-class destination like the French Riviera shows that digital assets are becoming part of everyday life,” said David Princay, CEO of Binance France.
He described the effort as a public-private collaboration intended to make the region more innovative and appealing to global crypto users.
Major establishments already accepting crypto include the JW Marriott and Hotel Gray d’Albion in Cannes, Restaurant Le César in Antibes, Gina in Nice, and a number of luxury boutiques in Monaco.
While the move appeals to high-net-worth crypto holders, it also clearly benefits small businesses. The partnership promises lower transaction fees, instant settlement, and enhanced security features such as encryption and two-factor authentication.
Lyzi CEO Damien Patureaux also emphasized merchant enthusiasm for the move.
“We’ve seen exceptional enthusiasm from merchants,” he said. “They’re excited to be leading the way for crypto payments acceptance in France.”
To incentivize adoption and reward early users, Binance Pay launched a promotional campaign running from June 28 to July 6. Customers who spend at least €20 (or the crypto equivalent) at participating locations will receive 5 EURI, which is a regulated, euro-backed stablecoin issued by a European financial institution.
The reward is limited to the first 1,999 eligible users and will be distributed to their Binance wallets within 30 days after the promotion ends.
MiCA Regulation Drives Binance Pay Expansion as Europe Embraces Crypto Integration
The expansion of crypto payments across the French Riviera is just the latest sign of how Europe’s regulatory clarity is powering real-world adoption.
Central to this progress is the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, which officially came into force last year after four years of legislative work.
MiCA establishes a harmonized framework for crypto regulation across the 30 European Economic Area (EEA) countries, setting rules on token issuance, exchange operations, consumer protection, and market abuse.
This regulatory certainty has attracted major global exchanges, including Binance, OKX, Coinbase, Crypto.com, and Bybit, to secure licenses under MiCA.
With a “pan-European passport,” once licensed in one EU jurisdiction, these platforms can now offer services across the entire EEA, encouraging healthy competition and a more stable market.
While some critics warn that MiCA could increase surveillance and limit user freedom, industry leaders have largely welcomed the framework for its potential to foster trust and long-term growth.
Exchanges now operate under consistent rules, improving transparency and consumer protection.
Binance itself has continued to expand its global reach. In June, the exchange unveiled a customizable AI-powered app interface to enhance accessibility for its 275 million users.
The firm also resumed full services in Syria following U.S. sanctions relief and maintained its position as the liquidity leader among centralized exchanges, holding over $31 billion in stablecoins.
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