Jun 26, 2023 05:05
Regulatory
challenges faced by the crypto exchange Binance in the United States and Europe
have led it to consider focusing on the Middle East. According to Alex Chehade,
the General Manager of Binance Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) could
become the primary destination for cryptocurrency businesses seeking favorable
and transparent regulations.
Binance Pulls Out of
Europe, Considers the UAE
Chehade
highlighted that Binance noted a desire within the UAE's senior leadership to
position the region as a key player in the Web3 industry. Moreover, the country
wants to diversify away from fossil fuels, with cryptocurrency seen as a
significant catalyst in this transition.
In a
conversation with Cointelegraph, the local branch manager of Binance
asserted that the exchange is based in the UAE because the local market
provides certainty for business development. Constructing a large business
where the law is continually changing is unfavorable. Binance seeks
predictability, and the Middle East is expected to provide it.
Binance sees UAE as 'hub' for future operations ???? pic.twitter.com/EExiCWfJJZ
— Crypto Crib (@Crypto_Crib_)
June 26, 2023This
statement comes at a time when Binance is grappling with legal issues on
multiple fronts. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the
Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) have filed lawsuits against the
exchange in the United States.
The
situation in Europe is not any better. For instance, the Belgian FSMA ordered
Binance to cease operations in the country immediately. At the same time,
Binance de-registered in the UK, while in France, an investigation into the
exchange's 'illegal' cryptocurrency services is underway. As part of scaling
back its presence in Europe, the platform has also withdrawn from the
Netherlands and Cyprus.
Binance's Issues with
Privacy Coins in Europe
At the end
of May, Binance decided to delist private tokens in Europe. This decision was
due to come into effect on 26 June and was set to impact 12 assets for clients
in Poland, Spain, France, and Italy.
Unlike
Bitcoin (BTC), privacy tokens like Zcash or Monero were created to enhance the
privacy of their holders. In their cases, blockchain transactions are not
transparent, making them harder to trace and identify the recipients and
senders of individual transfers.
This
decision was prompted by changes in local regulations regarding anti-money
laundering, which theoretically prohibited the further offering of privacy
tokens. However, Binance announced today (Monday) that it has decided to
reverse this move. As explained by the exchange's representatives, they revised
the classification of these assets to comply with the legal requirements in the
European Union.
JUST IN:#Binance reverses decision to delist privacy coins in Europe. The following #crypto tokens were originally going to be delisted on June 26th$DCR$DASH$ZEC$ZEN$PIVX$NAV$SCRT$VERGE$XVG$FIRO$BEAM$MOBpic.twitter.com/E0G8fXy0eN
— Crypto Macro (@cryptomacro14)
June 26, 2023From 31 May,
new Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulations have been in force across the
EU. European officials want to make Europe a hub for cryptocurrencies. However,
Binance's actions suggest that this significant player prefers other
jurisdictions.
UAE's VARA Attracting
Crypto Companies
In the UAE,
the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) is responsible for the rise in the
popularity of cryptocurrencies in the region. According to Chehade, VARA has
presented a very clear framework for crypto businesses, which he believes is unavailable
in other areas.
Furthermore,
as Binance MENA statistics indicate, the majority of cryptocurrency holders
currently reside in the UAE. This constitutes 28% of all UAE residents,
implying that one in every four people in the country owns cryptocurrencies.
Here is an interesting piece of statistics for you to consume, showing the UAE ranking 1st in crypto owners, globally, in % of population. https://t.co/XZveSPRbLw
— Binance MENA (@BinanceArabic)
June 14, 2023Binance was
one of the first exchanges to obtain a VARA license in 2022. First, it secured
a Virtual Asset License in March, followed by a Minimal Viable Product (MVP)
license in September. The former was a temporary license, while the latter
permits the offering of a full range of approved digital assets and related
services.
This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.