Binance faces US probe of possible Russian sanctions violations

The US Justice Department is investigating whether Binance Holdings was illegally used to let Russians skirt US sanctions and move money through the cryptocurrency exchange, Bloomberg News reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Regulators globally have long called for tighter controls on crypto exchanges including Binance, the world's largest, to prevent illegal activities - from money laundering to the financing of terrorism.

The recent seizures by Israel's NBCTF also highlight how governments are targeting crypto companies in their efforts to prevent illegal activity.

The inquiry by the Justice Department’s national security division is looking at whether Binance or company officials ran afoul of sanctions related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the report said, citing five people.

Binance and the DoJ did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.