Binance named in Hamas donor warning over crypto
- A US Justice Department filing has revealed that Hamas’ military wing advised donors against using Binance for transfers.
- The group instead referenced several crypto applications and an external TRON wallet.
- The filing also shows the group preferred USDT on TRON, while the named platforms said their inclusion did not indicate wrongdoing.
A US Justice Department filing has revealed that Hamas’ military wing advised potential donors against using Binance for crypto transfers.
The filing contains a letter from the Al-Qassam Brigades that references several crypto applications and an external TRON (CRYPTO:TRX) wallet.
“It is preferable not to use the ‘BINANCE’ platform to transfer support; and not to enter any data indicating our official name so that your wallet is not blocked and for your safety as well,” the Al-Qassam Brigades said in the letter.
The letter also referenced Tether’s USDT (CRYPTO:USDT) and the TRC-20 network, which operates on the TRON blockchain.
The Justice Department document does not identify the receiving wallet as belonging to Binance or any of the other platforms named in the letter.
The companies named in the document have not all responded, while OKX said its controls had already identified the referenced wallet as linked to illicit activity.
The disclosure adds to US authorities’ evidence that sanctioned groups have used digital assets for fundraising, although the Treasury has said traditional financial services remain the preferred channel.
