The crypto exchange giant Binance has run into yet more regulatory trouble in Asia while it’s making new preventive moves in Europe.
The platform issued a notice on its Binance.com website explaining that it “plans to wind down its futures and derivatives products offerings across the European region. It claimed that it would begin with its operations in Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, where, “with immediate effect, users from these countries will not be able to open new futures or derivatives products accounts.”
Existing users have also been set a deadline, the exchange continued, explaining that “with effect from a later date to be announced in a further notice,” customers in these countries “will have 90 days to close their open positions.”
The announcement comes after regulatory pressure in Europe.
“Sometimes, small setbacks are necessary for bigger long term growth,” Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao, tweeted.
He later added that “Regulatory compliance is a must, not a decision. And it leads to MORE market access and adoption, not less.”
Meanwhile, the Malaysian financial regulator, the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) said that it is now taking “enforcement actions” against the platform for “illegally operating a digital asset exchange (DAX)” – alleging that Binance has violated the country’s 2007 Capital Markets and Services Act by operating a DAX without an operating permit.
The SC said it had issued a “public reprimand against Binance” for “continuing to operate illegally in Malaysia despite being included in the SC’s Investor Alert List in July 2020.”
It ordered the platform to disable web and mobile access to Malaysia-based customers, “cease all media and marketing activities” and block Malaysia-based users from accessing the Binance Telegram group.
Given all the tax loopholes, cumex, wirecard, etc. it makes me feel like little retail investors are over regulated compared to institutions/companies. Should be the other way around imo.
I rarely trade derivatives but if I do I use FTX or do it on chain anyway— Fruity Pineapple Dev ◎🦀 (@_PineappleDev) July 30, 2021
Generally, though I'm still not convinced whether this will actually affect other exchanges quickly. It seems pretty obvious so far that Binance has been the main target. But eventually this is inevitable anyways
— Larry Cermak (@lawmaster) July 30, 2021
(Photo: Binance)
