Binance's SAFU Fund Surpasses $1.27 Billion in Value

Binance's emergency insurance fund, SAFU, has grown to over $1.27 billion in value, with about $270 million in unrealized profit. The fund, established in 2018, was created to cover user losses in the event of a security breach or other issue. In mid-February 2026, Binance converted $1 billion in stablecoins into 15,000 BTC, which at the time was worth approximately $1.005 billion. By early May, the fund's value had climbed past $1.2 billion, with unrealized gains of around $217 million.

The fund's holdings were later reported at over $1.27 billion, with paper profit reaching about $270 million. Binance has made the fund's wallet public, allowing anyone to check its balance on-chain. The exchange has also committed to running regular audits of the fund and will restore it to $1 billion if its market value falls below $800 million.

SAFU has been called upon before, covering user losses from security breaches, including a $40 million hack in 2019. Binance has framed the 2026 conversion as a long-term view of Bitcoin as a reserve asset, citing its transparency, auditability, and role as a hedge against inflation and counterparty risk.