The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is poised to announce a massive multi-billion-dollar settlement deal with leading crypto exchange Binance. A press briefing slated for Tuesday is expected to provide details around significant cryptocurrency enforcement moves, per Bloomberg reporting.
Attorney General Merrick Garland will reportedly spearhead revelations from the DOJ alongside Treasury and CFTC heads. Few specifics have emerged, but the DOJ indicated separate yet connected cryptocurrency actions will be unveiled.
DOJ’s attention on Binance?
Attention centers on Binance as sources claim the global exchange will pay $4 billion in settlements to resolve a sweeping federal investigation. The penalties would accompany a deferred prosecution agreement allowing Binance to continue functioning legally in the U.S.
The company has undergone years-long probes related to lax anti-money laundering controls and allegations of facilitating illegal transactions. A penalty exceeding the nearly $2 billion originally anticipated underscores an aggressive DOJ tack on levying deterrent fines.
Yet the looming deal marks a culmination after prolonged uncertainty over Binance’s fate in U.S. markets. The company appears ready to make sweeping compliance reforms and subject itself to strict regulatory supervision under the terms of the settlement.
Settling for record monetary damages allows Binance to put its regulatory woes in the rearview by adopting prudent governance. The alternative would have likely been a messy courtroom fight culminating in the exchange’s blacklisting.
Still, questions persist around whether Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao himself will face charges beyond corporate penalties. For DOJ officials, pinning accountability on figureheads behind compliance failures remains a priority.
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