Overview
- The Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DOJ Criminal Division have opened a review of Binance’s compliance with the November 2023 settlement after new reporting about Iran‑linked transaction flows.
- On September 15, 2026 the DOJ filed a civil forfeiture seeking about $61 million in digital assets tied to alleged Iranian oil proceeds routed through intermediary firms, though Binance was not named as a defendant in that case.
- Investigators are focused on post‑settlement activity and whether Binance processed transactions that should have been blocked under U.S. sanctions, with scrutiny on transfers routed through Hong Kong‑linked entities.
- Binance says it enforces a zero‑tolerance sanctions policy, removed suspicious accounts in August 2025 and January 2026, and is cooperating with authorities while no new criminal charges have been filed.
- If prosecutors find the company breached the 2023 deal, DOJ could seek revived criminal charges or additional fines, and the outcome will hinge on how well Binance’s monitorships and compliance systems performed after the settlement.