• Binance and the SEC have announced an agreement to ensure that only Binance.US employees can access customer funds, alleviating fears caused by the SEC’s request to freeze assets.
• The proposed agreement includes measures to limit Binance Holdings officials’ access to wallets and tools, as well as sharing detailed expense information.
• The agreement came in response to the SEC’s concerns about securities-related charges and the potential transfer of funds overseas, with the court urging a proposed agreement rather than issuing a freezing order.

Binance, a leading cryptocurrency exchange, along with its US counterpart, Binance US, has announced a significant development in their ongoing case with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC’s request to freeze Binance US’s assets had created widespread fear and uncertainty in the market. However, the recent agreement between Binance, Binance US, and the SEC aims to address these concerns and ensure the security of customer funds.

The proposed agreement, which still awaits approval from the federal judge overseeing the case, outlines specific measures that Binance US will undertake to prevent Binance Holdings officials from having access to various wallets and tools. This includes restricting root access to wallets, hardware wallets, and Binance US’s Amazon Web Services tools. Additionally, Binance US has committed to sharing detailed information about its expenses, providing transparency to the SEC.

The agreement comes in response to the SEC’s request to freeze all of Binance US’s assets while investigating potential securities-related charges. The SEC expressed concerns that funds could be moved abroad or crucial records could be tampered with if immediate action wasn’t taken. Binance.US’s legal team opposed the asset freeze, arguing that it would have severe consequences akin to a “death penalty” for the exchange.

District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson, presiding over the case, encouraged the parties to reach a proposed agreement rather than issuing a court order. She set a two-week deadline for a comprehensive hearing, considering the extensive amount of documentation already submitted during the recent hearing.

The proposed agreement also includes additional provisions such as the creation of new crypto wallets inaccessible to global exchange employees, further cooperation with the SEC by providing additional information, and an accelerated discovery schedule. Throughout this process, customers based in the United States will still be able to withdraw their funds.

The SEC’s legal action against Binance and Binance US centered on allegations of offering and trading unregistered securities and misconduct related to the commingling of funds. It’s important to note that the settlement agreement does not address the broader scope of the lawsuit.

The lawsuit had a significant impact on the cryptocurrency market, leading to substantial declines in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, raising concerns among investors. While the SEC initially sought to freeze Binance US’s assets, the court determined that such extreme measures were unnecessary and instead emphasized the importance of cooperation between the SEC and Binance.

As the details of the agreement become clearer in the coming days, it is expected to provide a more definitive direction for the cryptocurrency market and alleviate some of the uncertainties surrounding Binance’s future.