Binance Exits U.S. Market with $4.3 Billion Penalty
Binance, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges, has agreed to exit the U.S. market and pay $4.3 billion to settle charges of anti-money laundering and sanctions violations, as announced by the Department of Justice. CEO Changpeng Zhao has also stepped down and agreed to pay a separate $50 million fine.
The settlement also includes a three-year prohibition on Zhao’s involvement with the company, and it stems from a long criminal investigation into Binance and its leadership. The charges against Binance allege that the company prioritized profits over legal compliance, allowing funds tied to terrorism, hacking, and other crimes to flow through the exchange undetected.
U.S. customers were integral to Binance’s growth, and the exchange served them without the necessary controls, according to the Department of Justice. Chats obtained during the investigation showed compliance officers joking about facilitating money laundering through the exchange.
As part of the plea deal, Binance forfeited over $2.5 billion and paid a $1.8 billion criminal fine. Zhao’s individual plea relates to the lack of anti-money laundering controls at the exchange and violations of the Bank Secrecy Act, mirroring similar charges brought against other cryptocurrency industry figures.
Hot Take
This unprecedented $4.3 billion penalty against Binance is a significant warning to all crypto exchanges serving U.S. customers. The Department of Justice’s firm stance emphasizes that using new technology to break the law does not make you a disrupter; it makes you a criminal. The message is clear: crypto exchanges must follow the law, or face severe consequences.
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