Binance US is looking at IPO route, Says Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ)

Binance US, the United States-based cryptocurrency exchange operating separately from Binance, is looking to go public amid an ongoing regulatory crackdown on Binance exchange.

Binance US is looking at IPO route, Says Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ)

Changpeng Zhao aka CZ, founder and CEO of Binance, spoke on its ongoing regulatory issues and future plans at the blockchain virtual summit REDeFiNE Tomorrow 2021 on Friday.

CZ expressed confidence that Binance is set to face heavy regulations in the future, noting that the company is in the mindset of shifting from a tech startup to a financial service. Zhao reiterated that the exchange had been aggressively increasing its compliance efforts, including hiring former regulators.

Zhao admitted that the firm’s efforts to cooperate with regulators have not been the firm’s strong suit, pointing out the urgent need to localize compliance communications.

Despite seeing a meager success in communicating with global regulators so far, Binance doesn’t preclude a possibility that Binance US would go public one day as the exchange is seeking ways to go for an initial public offering (IPO), the CEO declared.

“Binance US is looking at the IPO route. Most regulators are familiar with a certain pattern or having headquarters, having corporate structure. But we are setting up those structures to make it easier for an IPO to happen,” CZ said.

Launched in 2019, Binance US operates as a separate entity from Binance, licensing technology and receiving branding support from the global exchange. Brian Brooks, the former acting comptroller of the United States Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, became the CEO of Binance US earlier this year to help the exchange compete with Coinbase exchange and expand across the United States.

Binance has been subject to increased scrutiny from global regulators recently, including the United States. Both the States Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service have been investigating the exchange for alleged illegal trading activity involving users in the United States. 

Back In March, Binance reportedly became the subject of an investigation by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission regarding alleged trades by U.S. customers.

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