Israel Confiscates 190 Crypto Accounts In Binance Related To Terrorism

Israel has seized about 190 crypto accounts on the Binance crypto exchange since 2021, (photo: twitter @binance)

JAKARTA - Israel has seized about 190 crypto accounts on the Binance crypto exchange since 2021, including two that are said to be linked to the Islamic State and dozens of others which are said to be owned by Palestinian companies linked to the Hamas Islamic group. This was revealed from documents released by the country's counter-terrorism authorities.

Israel's National Bureau for Counter-Terrorism Financing (NBCTF) on January 12 seized two Binance accounts and their contents, according to one of the documents on the NBCTF website. "The confiscation was carried out to "prevent activity" Islamic states and "obstruct their ability to achieve further goals," NBCTF said on its website.

NBCTF documents, which have not been reported, did not provide details about the value of the confiscated cryptocurrencies, or how the accounts were related to the Islamic State.

Binance, the world's largest crypto exchange by trading volume, did not respond to calls and Reuters emails seeking comment.

Israel's Defense Ministry, which is responsible for NBCTF, also did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

Under Israeli law, the country's defense minister can order the confiscation and takeover of assets deemed to be terrorism-related.

Regulators around the world have long called for tighter control on crypto exchanges to prevent illegal activities, from money laundering to financing terrorism. Confiscation by Israel's NBCTF highlights how governments are targeting crypto companies in their efforts to prevent illegal activities.

Binance, founded in 2017 by CEO Changpeng Zhao, said on its website that it reviews requests for information from governments and law enforcement agencies case by case, as well as discloses legally mandatory information.

Binance also said that it was examining users for links to terrorism and had "continued investing in enormous resources to improve compliance programs," as they told US senators in March in response to requests for information on Binance's regulatory and financial compliance.