Binance Faces US Probe Over Potential Iran Sanctions Violations, Report Says

US federal prosecutors are investigating cryptocurrency exchange Binance for potentially violating US sanctions against Iran, according to a report by Bloomberg News. The probe reportedly centers on whether the company knowingly failed to prevent prohibited trading activity on its platform.

Details of the Investigation

The investigation is being led by the Manhattan US attorney’s office with involvement from the Justice Department’s criminal division, Bloomberg reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter. The core of the inquiry is to determine if Binance was aware of and permitted the trading that breached US sanctions.

Binance stated that it has a "zero-tolerance approach to sanctions violations." The company added, "We fully cooperate with law enforcement, and we remain committed to rooting out and shutting down bad actors." The Department of Justice declined to comment on the matter.

A History of Regulatory Scrutiny

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This development follows a period of intense regulatory pressure on the exchange. In 2023, Binance agreed to a landmark $4.3 billion settlement to resolve a multi-year US investigation into violations of anti-money laundering and sanctions laws. That case resulted in one of the largest corporate penalties in US history.

As part of the 2023 resolution, founder and then-CEO Changpeng Zhao pleaded guilty to breaking US anti-money laundering laws and stepped down from his role. The prior case has put the exchange's compliance and control frameworks under a microscope, and this new probe suggests continued scrutiny from US authorities.

Context of US Sanctions Policy

The investigation aligns with a broader US strategy of economic pressure on Iran. The US government has recently intensified its campaign to isolate Iran economically, imposing sanctions earlier this month on firms and individuals it says are providing support to Hezbollah and other proxies in the Middle East.