Binance announced the measures on August 14 as part of an update to its compliance procedures following recent legal and regulatory developments. The restrictions cover direct and indirect transactions involving crypto-asset service providers that have been named in recent sanctions-related measures.
According to the official Binance announcement, the rollout is divided into three stages. Transactions involving Shelbit and Aban Tether Exchange have been subject to the restrictions since August 7, while measures affecting A7 Nigeria, A7 Africa and PilotFinance Ltd took effect on August 13.
The largest group will be affected from August 23. It includes Rapira, Aifory Pro, ABCeX, WhiteBird, NoOnecrypto, Tradex, Monease, BitPapa, Exnode and Exnode Pay, HTX — formerly known as Huobi — and EXMO Ltd.
Binance is not delisting cryptocurrencies associated with these platforms or shutting down their operations. Instead, the exchange is restricting the movement of assets between Binance accounts and the named counterparties.
Any transaction involving one of the listed entities after the applicable deadline may be held for a compliance review. Binance also warned that restrictions could temporarily be applied to affected wallets during the review process and that transactions involving the specified platforms may constitute a violation of its Terms of Use.
The exchange therefore advised users not to send assets to, receive funds from or otherwise conduct transactions through Binance that directly or indirectly involve the listed entities after their respective cutoff dates.
Binance remains one of the largest and most feature-rich centralized crypto exchanges, but the latest restrictions also highlight why regulatory status and regional availability matter when choosing a trading platform. FORECK.INFO examines these factors alongside fees, security, liquidity and trading conditions in its detailed Binance review.
HTX is by far the most recognizable platform included in the August 23 group. Formerly known as Huobi, the exchange is associated with TRON founder and HTX adviser Justin Sun and remains one of the larger centralized cryptocurrency trading platforms by global activity.
The decision follows a significant expansion of sanctions targeting crypto infrastructure accused of facilitating financial flows connected to Russia. In July, the European Union introduced new measures aimed at crypto-asset service providers considered to be helping undermine sanctions imposed on Russia.
The relevant EU framework includes HTX under its legal entity Huobi Global SA, alongside several other platforms also named by Binance, including Aifory Pro, ABCeX, WhiteBird, NoOnecrypto, Tradex, Monease, BitPapa, Exnode and EXMO.
The measures form part of the EU's broader effort to restrict the use of cryptocurrency platforms for sanctions circumvention. The European Council said its latest sanctions package expands the bloc's ability to prohibit transactions with third-country crypto providers used to help Russia bypass existing restrictions.
HTX had already faced sanctions pressure in the United Kingdom several months earlier. On May 26, British authorities designated Huobi Global S.A. under the Russia sanctions regime. The UK government subsequently clarified that the designation applies to the HTX cryptocurrency exchange and to entities owned or controlled by Huobi.
The UK Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation states that Huobi Global S.A. is subject to financial sanctions under the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019.
The latest Binance restrictions therefore appear to be part of a broader effort by major centralized exchanges to reduce exposure to counterparties affected by sanctions and increasingly complex regional compliance requirements.
Justin Sun responded to the announcement by saying he had been in contact with Binance and that, according to his understanding, the issue concerns Binance users in the UK and European Union. He also said HTX does not conduct business in those jurisdictions.
However, Binance's public announcement itself does not explicitly state that the restrictions apply exclusively to UK and EU customers. Instead, the exchange says it is required to comply with legal requirements in the jurisdictions where it operates. Sun's description of the geographical scope should therefore be treated as his interpretation of the measures rather than the wording of Binance's official notice.
For users, the practical impact is primarily on transfers between platforms. Anyone moving crypto between Binance and HTX, EXMO or the other affected services will need to pay particular attention to the applicable cutoff dates, as transactions may be delayed, reviewed or restricted once the new compliance rules take effect.
The restrictions involving HTX and other platforms are another reminder that access to a crypto exchange can change as sanctions, licensing rules and regional requirements evolve. Users comparing alternatives can explore FORECK.INFO's regularly updated Best Crypto Exchanges ranking, which compares leading platforms by security, regulation, fees, liquidity, available markets and other key criteria.
