BNB Hits New High Amid Speculation of Binance’s Regulatory Exit in the US

Binance negotiates with US DOJ to end oversight early.

The cryptocurrency exchange Binance is reportedly in discussions with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to terminate oversight by an independent monitor years ahead of schedule. This information comes from Bloomberg, citing unnamed sources. 

According to the publication, the parties are close to reaching an agreement, though details of the negotiations remain undisclosed. 

Binance agreed to compliance monitoring in 2023 as part of its admission of guilt in money laundering and sanctions violations. The DOJ appointed the consulting firm Forensic Risk Alliance as a monitor for three years, while FinCEN selected a partner from the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell for five years. The exchange also paid a $4.3 billion fine.

In an internal memo circulated in April 2025, the US DOJ noted that the department “is not a regulator of digital assets” and therefore will not initiate legal proceedings or bring charges that would impose “regulatory frameworks” on cryptocurrencies. Instead, the department will prioritize cases involving actual harm and more evident federal crimes, such as terrorism and hacking. 

Samson Enzer, a partner at the law firm Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, suggested at the time that the DOJ might close some investigations or drop certain charges under its updated mandate.

Following the news, Binance’s native token BNB reached an all-time high of $962.08, according to CoinGecko. At the time of writing, the asset is trading at $955.69.

Alongside Bloomberg’s report, users noted that former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) updated his personal profile on X, changing ex-@binance to @binance. This sparked speculation about his possible return to the exchange’s team.

In November 2023, CZ admitted guilt in violating sanctions and anti-money laundering laws, agreed to pay a $50 million fine, and stepped down as CEO of the exchange.

On April 30, 2024, a court sentenced Zhao to four months in prison. He was released in September 2024.

In May 2025, CZ confirmed that he had submitted a request for clemency to US President Donald Trump.

Zhao claims he is not interested in returning as Binance’s CEO. Before his release from prison, the exchange permanently barred him from management. Nonetheless, Zhao remains the platform’s largest shareholder.

According to a January report, the exchange spent approximately $200 million on its compliance program in 2024. The compliance team grew to 650 experts, enabling the exchange to secure regulatory approvals in 21 jurisdictions.