Binance Caught in Scandal Over Handing Over Data on Ukrainian Supporter
The world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, has been caught up in a scandal after handing over data about an IT specialist who donated to support Ukrainian military personnel to Russian authorities.
Belenky, a Russian IT specialist living in Bulgaria since 2015, was detained at Sheremetyevo Airport in September 2025 on suspicion of financing terrorism. Investigators accused him of making six cryptocurrency transfers totaling $742 from January 2023 to March 2024 to support the Ukrainian army and the 'Azov' unit.
Binance, which had exited the Russian market at the end of 2023, handed over a detailed history of Belenky's account to investigators. The data included personal information, copies of his passport and residence permit, as well as account balances, transfers between accounts, and cryptocurrency deposits and withdrawals.
The move has raised concerns about Binance's commitment to user privacy and its willingness to comply with law enforcement requests, even in countries where it no longer operates. Human rights defenders have noted that the transfer of personal data may contradict European data protection legislation.