US CFTC sues Binance and CEO Changpeng Zhao

The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) filed charges against the crypto exchange Binance and its CEO Changpeng "CZ" Zhao for allegedly violating rules around trading and derivatives. Binance is the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world.

The CFTC has alleged that "Binance has taken a calculated, phased approach to increase its United States presence despite publicly stating its purported intent to 'block' or 'restrict' customers located in the United States from accessing its platform... All the while, Binance, Zhao, and Lim, the platform's Chief Compliance Officer ('CCO'), have each known that Binance's solicitation of customers located in the United States subjected Binance to registration and regulatory requirements under U.S. law. But Binance, Zhao, and Lim have all chosen to ignore those requirements and undermined Binance's ineffective compliance program by taking steps to help customers evade Binance's access controls."

The CFTC is only one of several US groups looking into Binance, with the SEC also reportedly scrutinizing the exchange and the Department of Justice considering charges.