Binance, Israel, and Iran: Compliance, Conflict, and Crypto Control
š®š± Israel
Freezing & Blocking Requests
Israeli authorities (IDF/NBCTF) have requested Binance to freeze crypto wallets tied to suspected terrorism or illicit funding.
Binance has rejected about 86% of these requestsāonly ~14% were acted upon after internal investigation .
In October 2023, Israeli law enforcement froze 100+ accounts linked to Hamas at Binanceās request .
The exchange states that only wallets with verified illicit transactions were frozen, not broad sweeping actions .
Binance's Stance
Emphasizes adherence to international sanctions and AML/CTF protocols.
Investigates each request thoroughly before compliance. Richard Teng, Binance CEO: āOnly those wallets were blockedā .
š®š· Iran
Sanctions Compliance
Since U.S. reāimposed sanctions in 2018, Binance ceased services to residents in Iran and required account liquidation for anyone identified as based there .
In 2022, Binance admitted handling over $7.8āÆbillion in transactions involving Iranian firms between 2018ā2022, triggering a $4.5āÆbillion DOJ/Treasury settlement .
Current Access for Iranians
Residents within Iran cannot legally open or maintain Binance accounts.
Iranian diaspora with no ties to Iranās economy can use Binance after passing KYC checks .
Crypto is widely used in Iran, but users generally rely on local exchanges (e.g. Nobitex) due to sanctions blocking global platforms .
š§ Summary Table
Country Binance Access Freezes & Compliance
Israel Full platform access; enforces AML/KYC controls Partial cooperationāfrozen only wallets with verified illicit links; ~14% compliance with block requests Iran Blocked for residents; open to diaspora with proper KYC Aggressively enforced due to U.S. sanctions; processed large volume of Iranian-related trades historically
