The U.S. commodities regulator accuses Binance and CEO CZ of ‘willful evasion’ of US federal law.
CFTC Sues Binance
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has sued Binance and CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ), alleging that the world’s largest cryptocurrency Centralized Exchange committed “numerous violations” of U.S. laws.
The civil complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on Monday, March 27.
According to a press release announcing the filing, the CFTC alleges that Binance “chose to knowingly disregard applicable provisions of the [Commodity Exchange Act (CEA)] while engaging in a calculated strategy of regulatory arbitrage to their commercial benefit.”
The derivatives markets regulator is also accusing former Chief Compliance Officer Samuel Lim of aiding and abetting the alleged illegal activity.
The CFTC is seeking monetary penalties, permanent trading and registration bans, and a permanent injunction against further violations of the law.
“Today’s enforcement action demonstrates that there is no location, or claimed lack of location, that will prevent the CFTC from protecting American investors. I have been clear that the CFTC will continue to use all of its authority to find and stop misconduct in the volatile and risky digital asset market,” CFTC Chairman Rostin Behnam said. “For years, Binance knew they were violating CFTC rules, working actively to both keep the money flowing and avoid compliance. This should be a warning to anyone in the digital asset world that the CFTC will not tolerate willful avoidance of U.S. law.”
Honing in on Binance’s “commodity derivatives transactions to and for U.S. persons,” the 74-page complaint contains numerous allegations and assertions about Binance, including references to what CFTC says are excerpts from Binance’s internal company chat messages.
“Defendants’ alleged willful evasion of U.S. law is at the core of the Commission’s complaint against Binance. The defendants’ own emails and chats reflect that Binance’s compliance efforts have been a sham and Binance deliberately chose – over and over – to place profits over following the law,” said Gretchen Lowe, CFTC’s Enforcement Division Principal Deputy Director and Chief Counsel.
The complaint’s allegations against Binance include:
- Shortcomings in compliance controls (some deliberate)
- Lack of KYC verification
- Failure to implement basic measures to prevent terrorist financing and money laundering
- Deliberately assisting U.S. VIP customers on how to evade compliance controls
- Failure to register with the CFTC.
The complaint also accuses Binance et al of intentionally structuring entities to avoid U.S. registration requirements.
The complaint singles out CZ for allegedly “devising the secret plot to instruct U.S.-based VIP customers to evade Binance’s compliance controls and instructing Binance employees to ensure all communications about their control subversion took place over applications that facilitated the automatic destruction of evidence,” according to the CFTC press release.
After news broke of the suit’s filing, CZ tweeted a one character response: “4”.
That’s a reference to his New Year’s resolution to “Ignore FUD, fake news, attacks etc.”
4
— CZ 🔶 Binance (@cz_binance) March 27, 2023
The CFTC’s action against Binance occurs amidst a period of regulatory uncertainty in the U.S., when the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has attempted to also take on an increasingly active role in regulating cryptocurrencies.
What is Binance:
Binance positions itself as the world’s leading blockchain ecosystem and crypto-asset infrastructure provider with a financial product suite that includes the largest digital asset exchange by volume. The Binance platform aims to increase the freedom of money for users and features a comprehensive portfolio of crypto-asset products and offerings, including trading and finance, education, data and research, social good, investment and incubation, decentralization, and infrastructure solutions.
Where to find Binance:
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Related News
Security on Cryptocurrency Exchanges: Ensuring Asset Protection in the World of Cryptocurrencies
From two-factor authentication to cold storage, discover the essential security measures for protecting your assets on cryptocurrency exchanges.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of BSCNews. The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice. BSCNews assumes no responsibility for any investment decisions made based on the information provided in this article.
Cryptocurrency exchanges play a crucial role in the world of digital assets, providing a platform for the exchange of cryptocurrencies and tokens. However, along with the growing popularity of cryptocurrencies, the security risk on exchanges is also increasing. Hacker penetrations, fraudulent schemes, and cybersecurity threats are becoming increasingly serious issues. Various methods and security measures are applied to protect user assets and ensure the security of trading on crypto exchanges.
1. Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Two-factor authentication is one of the primary security measures on cryptocurrency exchanges. It requires not only entering a password but also additional confirmation, such as through a mobile device or email. This additional layer of protection significantly enhances the security of a user's account, as even if a malicious actor manages to obtain the password, they still cannot access the account without the second factor of authentication.
2. Cold Storage
Cold storage involves storing cryptocurrency assets offline, disconnected from the internet. This makes them inaccessible to hackers since physical presence and access to the storage are required to access the assets. Cold storage is one of the most reliable methods of storing cryptocurrencies and is widely used by exchanges to protect large sums.
3. Identity Verification and KYC (Know Your Customer)
Many cryptocurrency exchanges require users to undergo identity verification and KYC procedures to open an account and conduct trading operations. This allows the exchange to more accurately identify its customers and prevent fraud, as well as comply with regulatory requirements regarding anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing.
4. Multilayer Security System
Cryptocurrency exchanges often employ multilayer security systems, including network protection, transaction monitoring, intrusion detection, and automatic shutdown of suspicious activities. This helps to promptly respond to potential security threats and prevent possible attacks.
5. Secure Password Storage Methods
Cryptocurrency exchanges should provide secure password storage methods for users, such as hashing and salting, to protect them from unauthorized access. This helps prevent password leaks and account breaches.
6. Regular Audits and Penetration Testing
Regular security audits and penetration testing are necessary to assess the level of exchange security and identify vulnerabilities. This helps prevent potential attacks and improve overall security.
7. User Security Training
Cryptocurrency exchanges should provide educational materials and user guides on security basics to help users independently protect their accounts and assets. This includes recommendations for creating strong passwords, using authentication apps, and dealing with phishing attacks.
8. Geographic Server Distribution and Data Backup
Cryptocurrency exchanges can use geographically distributed servers and data backup systems to protect against unforeseen failures or attacks, ensuring continuous availability and preservation of user assets.
Conclusion
Security on cryptocurrency exchanges is an essential aspect of using digital assets. Security measures such as two-factor authentication, cold storage, identity verification, and others play a crucial role in protecting user assets and preventing cybersecurity threats. The development and improvement of these methods are key aspects of ensuring security on cryptocurrency exchanges in the future.
This is a paid press release, BSC.News does not endorse and is not responsible for or liable for any content, accuracy, quality, advertising, products, or other materials on this page. The project team has purchased this advertisement article for $1500. Readers should do their own research before taking any actions related to the company. BSC.News is not responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods, or services mentioned in the press release.
This is a paid press release, BSC.News does not endorse and is not responsible for or liable for any content, accuracy, quality, advertising, products, or other materials on this page. The project team has purchased this advertisement article for $2500. Readers should do their own research before taking any actions related to the company. BSC.News is not responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods, or services mentioned in the press release.
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