© Antonio Masiello/Getty Images
A Binance, maior plataforma mundial de negociação de criptomoedas, revelou hoje que o ataque de cibersegurança de que foi alvo tem um impacto estimado em 6,3 mil milhões de dólares (5,6 mil milhões de euros).
Em comunicado divulgado no seu portal oficial, a empresa explicou que as investigações preliminares apontam para a possibilidade de os atacantes terem comprometido o computador portátil de um engenheiro de operações, conseguindo aceder a um dos sistemas da plataforma e executar levantamentos não autorizados.
A Binance afirmou não ter encontrado, até ao momento, provas de que as chaves privadas das suas carteiras digitais tenham sido comprometidas e prometeu divulgar um relatório técnico detalhado após a conclusão da investigação.
A empresa indicou que trabalhou com parceiros do setor para congelar cerca de 3.000 milhões de dólares (2.700 milhões de euros) em ativos afetados, embora ainda não tenha determinado o valor definitivo das perdas nem quanto poderá recuperar.
A plataforma garantiu que cobrirá todos os eventuais prejuízos através do fundo de proteção dos utilizadores, conhecido pela sigla SAFU, e de recursos próprios, assegurando que os fundos dos clientes estão protegidos.
Como medida de precaução, a Binance suspendeu temporariamente os depósitos e levantamentos, revogou as autorizações de acesso comprometidas e solicitou a colaboração das autoridades e de empresas especializadas no rastreio de transações com criptomoedas.
A plataforma anunciou que atualizará a prova de reservas após a conclusão das medidas corretivas.
O incidente provocou quedas nas principais criptomoedas, com a bitcoin a recuar mais de 3%, para cerca de 77.400 dólares (69.190 euros), enquanto o éter e a BNB também registaram perdas, segundo o portal especializado CoinDesk.
Nos mercados de futuros, as liquidações de posições alavancadas atingiram 1,5 mil milhões de dólares (1,3 mil milhões de euros), segundo a mesma fonte.
Fundada em 2017, em Xangai, leste da China, pelo empresário Changpeng Zhao, a Binance transferiu as operações para fora da China após as restrições impostas por Pequim à negociação de criptomoedas, passando a operar internacionalmente sem uma sede central única.
Hackers roubaram mais de US$ 6 bilhões em criptomoedas nesta quinta-feira (29), estabelecendo um novo recorde para o maior assalto do tipo já registrado. Diversos investigadores apontaram a Coreia do Norte como possível responsável pelo ataque.
Até a noite de quinta-feira nos Estados Unidos, um grupo de empresas de criptomoedas havia conseguido congelar cerca de US$ 3 bilhões dos valores roubados, em uma corrida frenética contra os hackers para localizar e controlar o dinheiro digital.
Os invasores conseguiram acessar carteiras digitais mantidas na Binance, a maior corretora de criptomoedas do mundo.
A Binance afirmou na noite de quinta-feira que sua investigação preliminar indica que o ataque ocorreu por meio do notebook de um engenheiro, “o que permitiu que um invasor obtivesse acesso a um contêiner de serviço e enviasse transações de saque não autorizadas”.
A empresa afirmou que “cobrirá todas as perdas” com recursos próprios e de um fundo emergencial de ativos, acrescentando que “os fundos dos usuários estão seguros”. A corretora também informou que “suspendeu temporariamente depósitos e saques enquanto as verificações de segurança são concluídas; revogou a autorização do endereço afetado; [e] acionou autoridades policiais e parceiros de inteligência em blockchain para rastrear e recuperar os fundos”.
Analistas ficaram surpresos com o volume de dinheiro envolvido.
“É o maior ataque hacker da história”, afirmou à Reuters Aravind Srinivasan, chefe da área de operações sistemáticas de balcão (OTC) da GSR, uma das principais empresas de formação de mercado de criptomoedas.
A empresa de rastreamento de criptomoedas TRM Labs atribuiu o roubo a uma unidade de elite de hackers norte-coreanos, “com base em informações robustas obtidas dentro e fora da blockchain”.
A Pangolin Intelligence, outra empresa de rastreamento de blockchain sediada em Singapura, também afirmou acreditar que uma unidade de hackers da Coreia do Norte esteja por trás do ataque.
“A análise da atividade na blockchain relacionada a esse ataque, combinada com informações coletadas de incidentes anteriores conhecidos [envolvendo a unidade cibernética norte-coreana]”, levou à atribuição, afirmou um analista da Pangolin Intelligence, que não quis ser identificado por motivos de privacidade.
“Acho que o jogo de gato e rato mal começou”, disse o analista à CNN, acrescentando que a Coreia do Norte provavelmente está preparada para recorrer a uma rede de organizações de lavagem de dinheiro para tentar converter os valores roubados em dinheiro.
A Chainalysis, outra empresa de rastreamento de criptomoedas, afirmou estar monitorando os fundos roubados, que “estão se movimentando por diversas blockchains”, incluindo Bitcoin e Ethereum. Um porta-voz da empresa disse à CNN que havia “alto grau de confiança” de que a Coreia do Norte estava por trás do ataque.
A CNN procurou a missão da Coreia do Norte na ONU para comentar o caso. Pyongyang já negou anteriormente acusações de ataques hacker.
A CNN também solicitou comentários ao FBI e ao Serviço Secreto dos Estados Unidos, que também investiga crimes cibernéticos. Em investigações anteriores sobre grandes roubos de criptomoedas, o FBI contou com uma equipe de analistas de prontidão que trabalhava para congelar parte dos valores.
Caso a responsabilidade da Coreia do Norte seja comprovada, isso não surpreenderia autoridades policiais americanas nem especialistas do setor privado. Hackers norte-coreanos foram responsabilizados pelo recorde anterior de roubo de criptomoedas, quando supostamente furtaram US$ 1,5 bilhão da Bybit, outra grande corretora do setor. Na ocasião, os invasores roubaram, em questão de minutos, um valor equivalente a uma parcela significativa do PIB (Produto Interno Bruto) anual estimado da Coreia do Norte.
As formidáveis equipes de hackers da Coreia do Norte são uma importante fonte de receita para o regime, que possui armas nucleares e enfrenta duras sanções internacionais, segundo autoridades atuais e antigas dos Estados Unidos e da Coreia do Sul. Hackers ligados a Pyongyang roubaram bilhões de dólares de bancos e empresas de criptomoedas nos últimos anos, de acordo com relatórios das Nações Unidas e de empresas privadas.
Uma investigação da CNN publicada em 2023 destacou como o serviço de inteligência sul-coreano trabalhou com especialistas privados em rastreamento de criptomoedas para apreender cerca de US$ 1 milhão em ativos digitais roubados por norte-coreanos de uma vítima.
Diferentemente das plataformas de negociação de ações, as corretoras de criptomoedas costumam manter os ativos digitais em nome de seus usuários, o que as torna mais vulneráveis a ataques hacker e roubos, especialmente diante da falta de supervisão regulatória em um setor relativamente novo.
A Binance foi cofundada em 2017 pelo canadense Changpeng Zhao e se tornou a maior plataforma de negociação de criptomoedas do mundo em menos de um ano após seu lançamento.
No entanto, Zhao deixou o cargo em 2023, após se declarar culpado de violar leis contra a lavagem de dinheiro nos Estados Unidos. Ele foi condenado a quatro meses de prisão federal e recebeu um perdão do presidente Donald Trump em outubro do ano passado.
Zhao, que não administra mais a plataforma, mas continua sendo seu maior acionista, afirmou na rede social X que o incidente aparentemente foi um ataque hacker e que espera que a corretora cubra integralmente os fundos dos usuários.
Os preços do Bitcoin e do Ether, as criptomoedas mais negociadas, despencaram após a notícia da invasão à Binance, mas recuperaram parte das perdas e operavam em queda de cerca de 2% a 3% na tarde de sexta-feira (30), no horário de Hong Kong.
Bitcoin ha registrato un netto calo dopo che diversi operatori del settore hanno segnalato un presunto attacco informatico di vasta portata contro Binance, una delle principali piattaforme di scambio di criptovalute al mondo. La società ha annunciato di aver avviato verifiche, senza tuttavia confermare di aver subito una violazione dei propri sistemi. Binance ha assicurato che i fondi depositati dai clienti sulla piattaforma sono “completamente al sicuro”, mentre diversi esperti del settore hanno riferito di presunte sottrazioni di criptovalute per importi ingenti. Al momento, le segnalazioni non hanno ricevuto conferme ufficiali. Il bitcoin è quindi scivolato di oltre il 3% poco sopra quota 78.000 dollari.
Il calo del Bitcoin sotto gli 80.000 dollari ha innescato liquidazioni per oltre 600 milioni di dollari nel mercato delle criptovalute nel giro di un’ora. Anche altre monete, come BNB ed Ethereum, hanno registrato forti ribassi. Per limitare i danni, i principali emittenti di bitcoin sono intervenuti tempestivamente: Tether ha congelato quasi 1,57 miliardi di dollari, Circle ha bloccato oltre 800 milioni di dollari e Ripple ha congelato circa 200 milioni di dollari.
L'articolo Bitcoin, voci su un maxi attacco hacker a Binance e crollo del 3%. La piattaforma: “I fondi dei clienti sono al sicuro” proviene da Affaritaliani.it.
Hackers stole $6.3 billion from Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, in what analysts say is the biggest crypto hack ever, an attack that could prompt investors to rethink the risks of owning digital assets.
The hackers behind the raid were from North Korea, according to US blockchain analysis firms TRM Labs and Chainalysis. The attackers targeted Binance wallets on 10 blockchains and shifted most of the funds in about 20 minutes, TRM Labs said in a statement.
Binance said it worked with partners to freeze the affected assets with about $3 billion located so far. It did not mention the status of the remaining $3.3 billion, and its co-founder Yi He said the exchange would cover “all hacking losses”.
Binance said its deposits were unaffected and it expects to resume withdrawal services in the next 48 hours.
TRM said several features of the attack matched earlier heists linked to North Korea, including a 2025 hack of crypto exchange Bybit that the US Federal Bureau of Investigation had attributed to Pyongyang.
“We make this judgment with high confidence,” it said in a statement.
North Korea’s mission in Geneva and its embassy in China did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.
The incident could be the world’s biggest crypto heist, according to analytics firm Chainalysis and other industry experts.
“It’s the biggest hack in history,” said Aravind Srinivasan, head of large crypto market maker GSR’s systematic OTC business.
Bitcoin BTC= dropped more than 3% to a six-week low of $76,368 and ether ETH= fell more than 3% to a two-month low of $2,178. BNB BNB=CCCL, a token originally launched as Binance Coin that can be used to pay Binance fees, was down 5% over the past 24 hours at $709.70, according to market aggregator CoinGecko.
Shares in crypto exchange Coinbase Global COIN.O slid 4.8% while those of bitcoin buyer Strategy MSTR.O fell nearly 6% in extended US trading.
An initial investigation suggested the breach may have started with a hacked laptop belonging to one of its engineers, which let an attacker gain access to one of its systems and make unauthorized withdrawals, Binance said.
“The incident stems from multiple factors. Our security team is tracing the full attack path through the compromised computer which may be the entry point of the incident,” Binance said.
Beyond the potential loss of assets, the security breach was likely to have wider ramifications for crypto, which had already been under pressure due to higher US interest rates and softer demand from exchange-traded fund buyers, analysts said.
“It may further dampen risk appetite and prompt investors to reassess the safety of assets held on centralized exchanges, as well as counterparty, solvency and liquidity risks,” said Tim Sun, senior researcher at HashKey Group, based in Hong Kong.
Binance, which allows users to buy, sell and trade digital assets, has 335 million registered users globally and had about $162.8 billion in assets under custody as of the exchange’s 2025 annual report.
“User funds remain safe,” Binance said in a statement.
Binance runs a secure asset fund for users, which is a reserve held entirely in bitcoin that is intended to protect user assets in cases of security breaches, according to its website.
“It’s becoming very hard to counter hacks as AI can find vulnerabilities faster than you can fix them,” said Bernardo Brites, CEO of Trace Finance, a payments and stablecoin infrastructure company.
“My view is that users will move away from smaller and medium-sized exchanges, (it is) becoming too risky to park your money somewhere that couldn’t cover a hack of meaningful size.”
Stablecoin issuer Tether said it had frozen nearly $1.57 billion in assets linked to the incident, while Circle froze more than $800 million.
World Liberty Financial, a crypto company linked to US President Donald Trump and his family, said on Thursday it had worked with cryptocurrency custodian BitGo to freeze funds stolen in what it described as a Binance hack. Binance’s Yi said $27 million in stablecoins and about $2 million worth of World Liberty tokens had been frozen.
Crypto firm Ripple also froze roughly $200 million in funds, Yi said. Jack McDonald, senior vice president of stablecoins at Ripple, said the company was closely monitoring reports of a potential exploit involving Binance and was freezing affected funds and coordinating with relevant parties.
Miguel Morel, CEO of blockchain intelligence firm Arkham, said data indicated that billions of dollars appeared to have been hacked from Binance by an unknown actor.
The incident adds to a string of crypto thefts. Last year, attackers stole $2.9 billion worth of cryptocurrency across nearly 150 attacks, according to researchers at TRM Labs. In September, cryptocurrency exchange Bitget said roughly $350 million in crypto had been stolen from its platform, underscoring the industry’s vulnerability to hackers.
Authorities have warned that organised crime groups are increasingly using cryptocurrencies to move funds across borders outside the traditional financial system.
Binance.US, a separate cryptocurrency exchange, said it was not affected by the security incident.
Coinbase COIN.O said it was unaffected and was monitoring the situation.
In an unrelated incident earlier on Thursday, prediction market operator Polymarket temporarily halted trading after a security incident involving a third-party provider. It later resumed trading and said it would fully reimburse affected traders.
| Time period | Company | What was stolen | What happened |
| February 2025 | Cryptocurrency exchange Bybit | Digital tokens worth $1.5 billion | The crypto was taken from a “cold wallet” – a digital wallet usually stored offline and so supposedly more secure – that was used for ether tokens. |
| March 2022 | Ronin Network, a network that allows transfer of crypto coins across different blockchains | Roughly $540 million from a blockchain project linked to the popular online game Axie Infinity | Hackers stole some 173,600 ether tokens and 25.5 million USD Coin tokens. |
| February 2022 | Wormhole, a DeFi site | $320 million | Hackers making off with 120,000 digital tokens connected to the second-largest cryptocurrency, ether. The crypto arm of Chicago-based Jump Trading, which had the year before acquired the developer behind Wormhole, later replaced the funds. |
| August 2021 | Poly Network, a platform that facilitates peer-to-peer token transactions | $610 million (Hackers behind the heist later returned nearly all of the stolen funds) | The hack underscored vulnerabilities in the burgeoning decentralised finance, or DeFi, sector, where users lend, borrow and save in digital tokens, bypassing the traditional gatekeepers of finance such as banks and exchanges. |
| January 2018 | Tokyo-based exchange Coincheck | $530 million | The thieves attacked one of Coincheck’s “hot wallet” – a digital folder stored online – to drain the funds, drawing attention to security at exchanges.South Korea’s intelligence agency said at the time that a North Korean hacking group may have been behind the heist. |
| Between 2011 and 2014 | Tokyo-based bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox | Bitcoin worth close to $500 million was stolen in one of the earliest and most high-profile crypto hacks. | Mt. Gox, which once handled 80% of the world’s bitcoin trade, filed for bankruptcy in early 2014 after the hack was revealed, with some 24,000 customers losing access to their funds. |
The cryptocurrency industry faced one of its most turbulent days this Thursday as reports of massive security breaches involving Binance and Polymarket triggered sharp market declines, widespread panic among investors, and renewed concerns over the security of digital asset platforms.
While Binance investigated what could become the largest cryptocurrency hack in history, Polymarket temporarily halted operations following a cyberattack linked to a third-party service provider.
RELATED: Artificial Intelligence Pioneers Call for International Body to Oversee Cybersecurity Standards
The crisis began when reports emerged suggesting that Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, had suffered a major security breach. Initial estimates indicated that nearly $600 million in crypto liquidations occurred across exchanges within a single hour as traders rushed to reduce risk amid growing uncertainty.
We are working non-stop to resolve this issue. Binance will cover all losses.
— Binance (@binance) October 30, 2026
As a precaution, all deposits and withdrawals are temporarily suspended while our team conducts security checks, freezes funds, and works with law enforcement.
We are working around the clock and will… pic.twitter.com/zufWJ6V05D
As the situation unfolded, blockchain analysts reported that wallets allegedly tied to the attackers had received digital assets worth more than $5.5 billion. Later disclosures suggested that the amount associated with the incident could exceed $5.7 billion across multiple cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ether, USDT, and USDC.
The market reaction was immediate. Bitcoin fell below the $80,000 threshold, while Binance Coin (BNB), the exchange’s native token, dropped sharply. Other major cryptocurrencies also recorded significant losses as investors sought safety amid fears of a systemic security event affecting one of the sector’s most important institutions.
Changpeng Zhao, widely known as CZ and the founder of Binance, stated that the available information appeared to indicate that the platform had suffered a hack. Although no longer involved in the day-to-day management of the company, Zhao expressed hope that all customer funds would ultimately be protected.
Binance, for its part, sought to reassure users, stating that customer assets remained secure and urging the community to remain vigilant against scams and phishing attempts that often proliferate during high-profile security incidents. The company also temporarily suspended several Binance Alpha services, including CEX Buy Token, Alpha Instant, and predictive trading-related functions linked to spot wallet funds.
As investigators worked to determine the full scope of the breach, Binance announced that approximately $2.54 billion worth of assets had already been frozen through emergency security measures. The exchange emphasized that only verified information would be released as the investigation continued.
We are aware of differing figures circulating publicly regarding the amount frozen, including references to $1.8 billion.
— Binance (@binance) October 29, 2026
For clarity, the current verified total frozen is $2.54 billion. This figure may continue to increase as our teams work closely with law enforcement,… pic.twitter.com/Kx68qptfXk
The turmoil was compounded by a separate cyberattack targeting Polymarket, one of the world’s most prominent prediction market platforms. The company temporarily suspended trading operations for nearly an hour after identifying a security incident involving an external service provider.
According to reports, attackers may have exploited a vulnerability connected to DebugBear, a third-party performance and analytics tool used by the platform. The breach allegedly resulted in the theft of roughly $2.65 billion to $2.7 billion worth of cryptocurrencies from user wallets, making it one of the largest incidents ever reported in the prediction market sector.
Following the attack, Polymarket notified British authorities, as preliminary information suggested the operation may have originated from the United Kingdom. At the same time, users reported missing funds and emptied wallets across community channels, raising concerns about the broader implications of third-party software vulnerabilities within the crypto ecosystem.
Despite the disruption, Polymarket moved quickly to restore operations and pledged to compensate affected users. In public statements, the company promised to reimburse all verified losses, an effort aimed at restoring confidence and preventing a prolonged loss of trust among traders.
POLYMARKET HALTS TRADING AFTER HACKERS DRAIN USER FUNDS WITHOUT PASSWORDS OR SEED PHRASES
— Bitcoin News (@BitcoinNewsCom) October 29, 2026
Attackers allegedly exploited users’ active sessions to sell their positions and withdraw funds directly through Polymarket’s own system.
The attack reportedly originated from a… pic.twitter.com/GJB7MTrBfH
The dual incidents have reignited a longstanding debate over cybersecurity standards in the cryptocurrency industry. For years, exchanges and digital asset platforms have promoted increasingly sophisticated security systems, yet the scale of the reported losses at Binance and Polymarket suggests that even major players remain vulnerable to large-scale attacks.
If confirmed at the estimated levels reported by analysts and security firms, the Binance breach would surpass all previous cryptocurrency thefts on record, marking a pivotal moment for the digital asset industry. Combined with the Polymarket attack, the events of October 29 erased billions of dollars in market value, exposed potential weaknesses in platform security infrastructure, and highlighted the systemic risks that continue to accompany the rapid growth of the global cryptocurrency ecosystem.
The cyberattack has renewed warnings about cybersecurity protections, investor confidence and risks associated with the use of digital financial platforms.
As investigations continue, regulators, security experts, and investors alike will be watching closely to determine not only how the attacks occurred, but also what they reveal about the resilience of the crypto industry in an era of increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
A Binance informou, via publicação no X na noite desta quinta-feira (29), que está investigando um potencial “problema de segurança” em sua plataforma. Parte das negociações operadas pela Binance foram suspensas.
“Estamos trabalhando sem parar para resolver este problema. A Binance cobrirá todas as perdas. […] Estamos trabalhando 24 horas por dia e compartilharemos um relatório completo pós-incidente assim que a investigação for concluída”, escreveu a plataforma no X.
A empresa informou que congelou US$ 2,54 bilhões até o momento, que o montante pode subir à medida que suas equipes trabalham junto de forças policiais, emissores, empresas de inteligência em blockchain e parceiros da indústria para rastrear e travar ativos adicionais.
“Este é um esforço em escala da indústria, e somos gratos aos parceiros em todo o ecossistema que agiram rapidamente para ajudar a congelar os ativos afetados.”
“Nossa equipe está realizando verificações de segurança. As retiradas serão retomadas assim que o problema de segurança for totalmente resolvido”, escreveu a plataforma em publicação no X.
Segundo a Binance, os recursos dos usuários estão seguros.
A empresa segue atualizando o caso em suas redes sociais ao passo que confirma novas informações sobre a ocorrência. A Binance ainda alerta para que usuários fiquem atentos para potenciais golpes tentando tirar vantagem da situação.
A Binance dos Estados Unidos afirma que suas operações não foram afetadas pelo “incidente de segurança”.
“Somos uma plataforma separada e independente, e os fundos e serviços dos clientes estão seguros e funcionando normalmente”, diz a conta da operação norte-americana no X.
Binance, la mayor plataforma para la compra e intercambio de criptomonedas, ha decidido paralizar todas las sus operaciones después de informar este jueves de que había experimentado una brecha de seguridad, aunque aseguró que los fondos de los usuarios estaban seguros. Changpeng Zhao, cofundador de Binance, confirmó el ataque en su cuenta en X.
© Tyrone Siu (REUTERS)
Cryptocurrency exchange scrambles to freeze affected assets, with about $3bn located so far
The world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange has been hit by an industry-record $6.3bn (£4.7bn) hack, with experts identifying North Korea as the likely culprit.
Binance has scrambled to freeze the affected assets, with about $3bn located so far. The company gave no update on the other $3.3bn as Binance’s co-founder Yi He said the company would cover “all hacking losses”.
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© Photograph: Brent Lewin/Bloomberg via Getty Images
© Photograph: Brent Lewin/Bloomberg via Getty Images
© Photograph: Brent Lewin/Bloomberg via Getty Images
A Russian court sentenced Yuri Belenky, director of the IT company DiHouse, to 13 years in prison on terrorism financing charges, Radio Liberty reported on 26 October. The case concerns cryptocurrency donations that investigators believe were meant for Ukraine’s Armed Forces, the outlet said. The court also fined Belenky 500,000 rubles ($6,200), according to the report.
Since 2022, Russian courts have imprisoned Russians and Ukrainians under treason, terrorism, and other national-security laws over donations to Ukrainian causes. Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, left Russia in 2023 but says it cooperates with lawful law-enforcement requests in different countries.
Belenky had lived in Bulgaria with his wife and child since 2015. In September 2025, he traveled to Moscow on business, and police detained him at the airport for allegedly using obscene language, Radio Liberty reported. In court, Belenky denied swearing, but the judge gave him 13 days of administrative detention. On the 10th day of his detention, Russia’s Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against him under an article on terrorism financing, based on a report from the Federal Security Service, according to the report.
In October 2025, Russia’s Investigative Committee contacted Binance to request information on six users who had transferred funds to a cryptocurrency wallet published by journalist Arkady Babchenko, the Russian human rights project First Department said on 17 August 2026. The exchange provided investigators with Belenky’s detailed account history, including his personal information, copies of identification documents, and cryptocurrency transaction records, according to the organization. The human rights project said the materials helped investigators identify nine more transfers, which went into the final charge against Belenky. Binance told his lawyer it does not give law enforcement user account data without a court order or an equivalent ruling, the group said.
Belenky’s alleged offense was transferring donations totaling 126,000 rubles ($1,560) between 2022 and 2024 to an account published by Babchenko, Radio Liberty reported. The court ordered that sum confiscated.
The court said the money in Babchenko’s account went to Ukraine’s Armed Forces and the Azov battalion, which Russia designates as a terrorist organization, Radio Liberty reported.
In a statement dated 14 October 2025, Babchenko said he had not received transfers from Belenky to the cryptocurrency wallets he had published. He emphasized that he had raised money for civilian humanitarian needs, not to support the military.
In September 2023, Binance announced that it would sell its entire Russian business to cryptocurrency exchange CommEX, according to the company’s website. Operating in Russia was incompatible with Binance’s compliance strategy, the exchange’s chief compliance officer, Noah Perlman, said in the announcement. Binance said it would fully exit the Russian market, receive no share of future revenue from the sale, and retain no option to buy back the business.
CommEX said on 29 September 2023 that it was not owned by Binance but confirmed that it had hired some former Binance employees during the platform’s six-month development, Cointelegraph reported.
The exit came after earlier questions about Binance’s dealings with the Russian state. In April 2021, Russian financial intelligence officials met with Binance’s head of Eastern Europe and Russia in Moscow and asked the exchange to provide customer data, including names and addresses, Reuters reported in April 2022. The Binance executive agreed to the request in a message to a business associate, saying he didn’t have “much of a choice,” the outlet said. Binance told Reuters it had never been contacted by Russian authorities about Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.
In February 2026, 11 US senators asked the Treasury Department and the Justice Department to investigate Binance’s compliance with sanctions and anti-money laundering rules, Cointelegraph reported. They cited reports that about $1.7 billion had moved through Binance to Iran-linked entities, as well as possible activity related to evading Russian sanctions. The senators also warned that Binance payment cards launched in parts of the former Soviet Union could facilitate sanctions evasion. Binance rejected the allegations.
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