Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, is no stranger to controversy.
The Malta-based company has been accused of everything from fraud to money laundering, and its CEO, Changpeng Zhao, has been criticized for his close ties to the Chinese government.
Now, a new report from The Block claims that Binance may be violating U.S.
sanctions lAWS by allowing Iranians to trade on its platform.
The report cites two sources “familiar with the matter” who say that Binance has been knowingly allowing Iranian users to trade on its platform for months, in violation of U.
sanctions.
The report goes on to say that Binance has been “deliberately” allowing Iranian users to trade on its platform, and that it has “refused” to implement Know Your Customer (KYC) checks for these users.
Binance has not responded to The Block’s request for comment on the report.
This is not the first time Binance has been accused of violating U.
sanctions lAWS.
In 2019, the U.
Department of Justice (DOJ) launched an investigation into whether Binance had allowed Americans to trade on its platform in violation of sanctions lAWS.
The DOJ ultimately concluded that there was no evidence that Binance had knowingly allowed Americans to trade on its platform, and the investigation was closed without any charges being filed.
However, the new report from The Block raises fresh concerns about Binance’s compliance with U.
If the allegations are true, it could put Binance in hot water with U.
regulators and potentially jeopardize its plans to launch a cryptocurrency exchange in the United States.
Binance is already facing scrutiny from U.
lawmakers over its alleged ties to the Chinese government and its role in facilitating wash trading on its platform.
The Block’s report comes just days after Zhao testified before the U. Senate Banking Committee about his company’s compliance with U.
S. lAWS and regulations.