Global cryptocurrency exchange Binance announced on August 14, 2026, that it will cease processing transactions connected to HTX and 10 other crypto-asset service providers starting August 23. The decision follows recent international regulatory developments and expanded sanctions frameworks targeting platforms accused of facilitating sanctions evasion.
Under the incoming policy, transactions attempting to route assets directly or indirectly through affected platforms may be flagged and held for compliance verification. Binance warned users that associated deposit and withdrawal wallets could also face temporary restrictions while manual compliance reviews remain ongoing.
EU Sanctions Expansion and Global Regulatory Enforcement
The August 23 enforcement deadline primarily aligns with the European Union’s 21st sanctions package adopted on July 23. Designed to curb sanctions circumvention tied to Russia, the EU measure imposes transaction bans across 14 crypto-asset service providers. Alongside HTX, Binance’s upcoming restrictions encompass EXMO, Rapira, BitPapa, Aifory Pro, ABCeX, WhiteBird, NoOnecrypto INC., Tradex, Monease Ltd, and Exnode.
The action follows prior UK government enforcement against Huobi Global S.A. in May, which designated the firm over alleged financial services support for sanctioned Russian networks. Blockchain analytics firms subsequently reported over $7.6 billion in Russia-linked asset transfers passing through HTX infrastructure since 2021. Although HTX previously disputed its inclusion by maintaining that Huobi Global operated as a separate corporate entity, British authorities clarified that ownership ties brought the primary exchange under the sanctions regime.
Additional Compliance Measures Targeting Iranian Networks
Beyond the August 23 deadline, Binance’s compliance update highlights earlier restrictions applied to platforms sanctioned under separate regulatory actions. Transactions involving platforms Shelbit and Aban Tether Exchange were restricted effective August 7, coinciding with targeted enforcement by the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
US authorities designated Shelbit and Aban Tether for facilitating multi-million-dollar digital asset transfers for entities connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and previously sanctioned Iranian exchanges. Additional platform restrictions covering A7 Nigeria, A7 Africa, and PilotFinance took effect on August 13. Binance advised its user base to avoid interacting with any listed entities, reiterating that transfers involving restricted counterparties could trigger terms-of-service violations and account reviews.
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