Regulation
Binance to Block HTX and 15 Other Exchanges as EU Russia Sanctions Take Effect
17 Aug 2026, 07:17
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Binance is phasing out transaction processing for 16 crypto exchanges and service providers, including HTX, after the European Union added them to its latest Russia sanctions package.
Binance told users on August 14 that it will stop processing transactions involving 16 crypto exchanges and service providers, the exchange's response to a new European Union sanctions package targeting platforms accused of helping Russia circumvent financial restrictions tied to the war in Ukraine. The cutoff is being rolled out in phases between August 7 and August 23 rather than all at once, giving affected users a narrow window to move funds before each restriction takes effect.
HTX, the exchange formerly known as Huobi, is the largest and most prominent name on the list, which was added to the EU's 21st Russia sanctions package, adopted on July 23. Other entities named include EXMO, Rapira, BitPapa, WhiteBird and Aifory Pro, spanning a mix of exchanges and payment-adjacent crypto service providers that EU regulators believe have facilitated sanctioned financial flows. The rollout has already begun: restrictions on Shelbit and Aban Tether Exchange took effect August 7, while A7 Nigeria, A7 Africa and PilotFinance Ltd were cut off on August 13. The final and largest wave arrives August 23, when Rapira, Aifory Pro, ABCeX, WhiteBird, NoOnecrypto, Tradex, Monease, BitPapa, Exnode and HTX itself all lose access to Binance's transaction rails.
The sanctions package reflects an escalating pattern of coordinated enforcement, with the EU, the US Treasury Department and the UK all separately tightening restrictions tied to the Russia-Ukraine war and broader anti-money laundering concerns over the past year. For an exchange the size of Binance, compliance with sanctions regimes across multiple jurisdictions has become an increasingly complex operational requirement, particularly as the list of designated entities grows and enforcement timelines from different regulators don't always align.
The action illustrates how major centralized exchanges have become de facto enforcement points for sanctions policy, even though the underlying blockchain networks themselves remain permissionless. By cutting off transaction processing at the exchange level, regulators can meaningfully restrict a sanctioned platform's ability to move funds through the most liquid and widely used venues, without needing direct control over the blockchains those funds ultimately settle on. For HTX specifically, losing access to Binance's transaction infrastructure represents a significant blow to its ability to serve as a liquidity bridge for users trying to move funds in or out of Russia-linked wallets, even if the exchange continues operating in jurisdictions where it isn't formally sanctioned. The phased timeline gives affected exchanges and their users time to adapt, but it also signals that regulators expect major crypto platforms to actively enforce sanctions compliance rather than simply wait for legal mandates to force their hand.
HTX, the exchange formerly known as Huobi, is the largest and most prominent name on the list, which was added to the EU's 21st Russia sanctions package, adopted on July 23. Other entities named include EXMO, Rapira, BitPapa, WhiteBird and Aifory Pro, spanning a mix of exchanges and payment-adjacent crypto service providers that EU regulators believe have facilitated sanctioned financial flows. The rollout has already begun: restrictions on Shelbit and Aban Tether Exchange took effect August 7, while A7 Nigeria, A7 Africa and PilotFinance Ltd were cut off on August 13. The final and largest wave arrives August 23, when Rapira, Aifory Pro, ABCeX, WhiteBird, NoOnecrypto, Tradex, Monease, BitPapa, Exnode and HTX itself all lose access to Binance's transaction rails.
The sanctions package reflects an escalating pattern of coordinated enforcement, with the EU, the US Treasury Department and the UK all separately tightening restrictions tied to the Russia-Ukraine war and broader anti-money laundering concerns over the past year. For an exchange the size of Binance, compliance with sanctions regimes across multiple jurisdictions has become an increasingly complex operational requirement, particularly as the list of designated entities grows and enforcement timelines from different regulators don't always align.
The action illustrates how major centralized exchanges have become de facto enforcement points for sanctions policy, even though the underlying blockchain networks themselves remain permissionless. By cutting off transaction processing at the exchange level, regulators can meaningfully restrict a sanctioned platform's ability to move funds through the most liquid and widely used venues, without needing direct control over the blockchains those funds ultimately settle on. For HTX specifically, losing access to Binance's transaction infrastructure represents a significant blow to its ability to serve as a liquidity bridge for users trying to move funds in or out of Russia-linked wallets, even if the exchange continues operating in jurisdictions where it isn't formally sanctioned. The phased timeline gives affected exchanges and their users time to adapt, but it also signals that regulators expect major crypto platforms to actively enforce sanctions compliance rather than simply wait for legal mandates to force their hand.