Binance Staff Detained in UAE Amid Fund Flow Probe

Binance employees were briefly detained at airports in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) amid an ongoing investigation into fund flows. The exchange confirmed that a small number of staff members were asked to give statements to UAE authorities, but stated they were not targets of the probe and were cleared of any wrongdoing.

The investigation centers on third-party fund flows through a Binance client money account, which typically holds funds on behalf of institutional clients rather than the exchange itself. Binance emphasized that it is working constructively with Dubai Police and authorities across other Emirates to build clearer coordination procedures for future inquiries.

This latest incident adds to a pattern of cross-border regulatory engagement for the company, which has encountered scrutiny in several regions over recent years. In 2024, Nigerian authorities charged Binance along with its then-head of financial crime compliance, Tigran Gambaryan, with laundering more than $35 million.