Binance Rejects Claims That It Changed Cooperation with U.S. Crypto Investigators

Highlights:

• Binance has rejected claims that it reduced cooperation with U.S. law enforcement after a reported DOJ memo.
• The reported DOJ memo said prosecutors may need formal legal requests before seeking some Binance asset freezes.
• Binance said it still responds to valid law enforcement requests through its existing compliance and request system.

Binance has denied reports that it changed how it cooperates with U.S. law enforcement after a reported Justice Department memo raised questions about future crypto investigations. The exchange said it has been responding to valid requests from U.S. law enforcement agencies and has not changed its cooperation policies for active investigations.

Scoop: In early June, the Justice Department sent out a memo warning its attorneys working on crypto cases that they should expect less cooperation from Binance.

This comes as Binance is actively negotiating a formal end to its DOJ monitorship, implemented after the landmark… pic.twitter.com/Ty0K9CzOaM

— Leo Schwartz (@leomschwartz) July 8, 2026

The Information reported that the U.S. Department of Justice instructed prosecutors to expect reduced operational cooperation from Binance beginning June 8. According to the reported memo, Binance would no longer provide courtesy freezes for some account freeze or asset seizure requests from U.S. law enforcement agencies. Instead, prosecutors would need Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) requests or other formal legal processes before seeking certain account freezes or asset seizures.

The Information: U.S. DOJ Told Prosecutors to Expect Less Cooperation From Binance

According to The Information, the U.S. Department of Justice circulated an internal memo in June advising prosecutors handling crypto-related cases to expect less cooperation from Binance in…

— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) July 8, 2026

Binance rejected the report that claimed it would reduce operational cooperation with U.S. law enforcement beginning June 8. A company spokesperson said, “There has been and will be no change to Binance’s cooperation with U.S. law enforcement.” The spokesperson also said Binance is exploring ways to expand cooperation with U.S. law enforcement despite the reported DOJ memo.

The report did not say Binance rejected any specific request from U.S. law enforcement. Instead, it described internal DOJ guidance that reportedly advised prosecutors to prepare formal legal requests because Binance might require additional legal documentation.

Binance also said it will continue responding to valid requests from U.S. law enforcement agencies investigating criminal cases. The company added that government agencies can continue submitting requests through its Law Enforcement Request System.

Questions Grow Over Asset Freeze Procedures

The reported DOJ memo renewed attention because prosecutors may need formal legal requests before seeking certain Binance account freezes. Authorities often depend on exchanges to freeze accounts before suspects move stolen cryptocurrency to other wallets, exchanges, or foreign jurisdictions.

Suspects can transfer stolen cryptocurrency across multiple wallets within minutes. They can also swap tokens or use crypto mixers before investigators complete legal procedures. Moving stolen cryptocurrency across wallets, mixers, or overseas platforms can reduce investigators’ chances of recovering the assets.

The reported DOJ memo said prosecutors should prepare MLAT requests or other formal legal steps because the exchange would reportedly require formal documentation before certain account freezes or seizures. MLAT requests allow governments to seek legal assistance from foreign authorities when investigators need evidence, account freezes, or asset seizures. However, the MLAT process often requires coordination between multiple governments and can take weeks or months to complete.

The reported DOJ memo follows other U.S. investigations involving Binance and suspected sanctions violations. The Justice Department is also reviewing transactions on the exchange that reportedly involved suspected Iranian financial networks. According to The Wall Street Journal, investigators are examining whether Iranian actors used the exchange to move funds despite U.S. sanctions and whether some transfers helped finance groups backed by Iran. However, Binance has denied the allegations.

The WSJ’s reporting continues to contain fundamental inaccuracies about the facts and Binance’s commitment to a strong compliance framework.

Fact: Binance did not permit any transactions with sanctioned individuals on its platform, and transactions mentioned by WSJ happened…

— Richard Teng (@_RichardTeng) May 22, 2026

Past Settlement Keeps Binance Under Watch

The reported memo has emerged at a time when the exchange remains under independent compliance monitoring following its earlier settlement with U.S. authorities. The settlement requires regulators and an independent monitor to review Binance’s compliance program and anti-money laundering controls.

Binance pleaded guilty to anti-money laundering violations, operating an unlicensed money transmission business, and sanctions violations. The company also agreed to pay more than $4.3 billion to resolve the U.S. criminal case.