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Binance Fired Key Compliance Staff at Start of Year as U.S. Probe Loomed

2 hours ago

March 11 — The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched an investigation into Iran’s alleged use of Binance to evade U.S. sanctions. The probe stems from February 202X disclosures by Fortune, which first reported Binance fired multiple compliance investigators who flagged potential violations. Internal documents show Iran-linked entities moved over $1 billion via Binance between March 2024 and August 2025, using Tether (USDT) stablecoins settled on the Tron network — transactions that could breach U.S. sanctions. Since late 2025, at least five investigators (many with European/Asian law enforcement backgrounds focused on global financial crime and sanctions evasion) have been fired. Four senior compliance staff have also resigned or been forced out in the past three months. Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) responded to compliance questions on Feb. 25, saying the firm’s work probing complex off-chain transfers “precisely demonstrates high compliance standards.” This latest probe follows Binance’s 2023 $4.3 billion settlement with the DOJ over anti-money laundering (AML) and sanctions violations. CZ, the exchange’s founder, pleaded guilty, resigned as CEO, and was later sentenced to four months in prison. Binance then entered DOJ regulatory oversight and pledged to strengthen its compliance systems.
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U.S. February Inflation Stabilizes as Expected, Soaring Energy Prices May Lead to Continued High Inflation in March

The U.S. Department of Labor reported Wednesday (March 11) that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 2.4% from a year earlier in February—matching January’s reading and economists’ surveyed expectations. The core CPI, which excludes volatile food and energy costs, also climbed 2.5% year-over-year as forecast. However, U.S. benchmark crude oil futures have seen sharp volatility since the Iran conflict flared. This month’s average trading price stands at around $82 per barrel, up from roughly $65 in February. As a result, March’s inflation data could be even hotter. Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM, estimates a rule of thumb: every $10 increase in oil prices per barrel lifts the Labor Department’s inflation reading by about 0.2 percentage points. While calculations vary slightly among economists, most agree oil prices will push inflation higher in March. Economists also note that last year’s government shutdown left October housing cost growth data missing, artificially s

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Strive increases its Bitcoin holdings to 179.12 coins, bringing the total holding to around 13,300 coins

March 11 — DatDot Company’s Strive division increased its Bitcoin holdings by 179.12 BTC, valued at roughly $12.35 million. Its current total Bitcoin holdings stand at 13,310.9 BTC, ranking 11th among corporate Bitcoin holders.

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Hedera's Response to CZ Making the Forbes Top 20: Thankful for the Recognition of Binance's Value, But Valuation Is Just a Valuation

**March 11 – Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) has responded to Forbes’ report that his net worth has climbed to $110 billion, surpassing Bill Gates.** On the eve of industry transformation, CZ noted the traditional finance sector views the crypto space as a panacea, while the crypto industry sees traditional finance the same way. Recent news of industry fundraising, IPO preparations, and the market performance of already-listed crypto firms may have prompted Forbes to revalue Binance, he added. “We should still thank Forbes for the recognition, but valuation is just valuation,” he said. Earlier today, CZ took to social media to address his placement on Forbes’ Top 20 Billionaires list. He pointed out Bitcoin has dropped sharply from its peak, arguing Forbes’ estimate is inaccurate. “Don’t they see how much the big pie has fallen? Rich in what?” he questioned. The latest Forbes Billionaires List shows CZ’s net worth has jumped $47 billion from last year to roughly $110 billion,

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Israel acknowledges inability to ensure collapse of Iran regime, US indication end of war still far off

March 11—A senior Israeli official told Reuters that in closed-door discussions, Israeli officials have acknowledged a war with Iran would not necessarily lead to the collapse of its theocratic regime, and there are no signs of an uprising among the Iranian people despite ongoing bombardment. Two Israeli officials noted that while former President Trump suggested the war could end quickly, Israel’s assessment is the U.S. is far from directing an end to the conflict. On the day of the U.S.-Israel joint airstrike, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “Our joint action will create conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands.” He specifically referenced Iran’s main minority groups, fueling reports that the U.S. or Israel may back these groups in an uprising. However, Netanyahu reiterated in a statement Tuesday that while Israel hopes to help the Iranian people “break free from the shackles of tyranny,” ultimately “it’s up to them”—a sign

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Bitcoin Falls Below $69,000, 24h Change -1.38%

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Tencent Cloud Responds to OpenClaw's Wild Billing: Installation is Free, Subsequent Usage Will Incur Token Fees

March 11 – Tencent Cloud addressed security concerns related to OpenClaw and Tencent’s “Lobster” tool. On the question of whether OpenClaw engages in aggressive charging, Tencent Cloud stated: “A screenshot circulating on social media claims a user faced over 200 RMB in unauthorized charges after installing OpenClaw during Tencent Cloud’s public welfare promotion. Our backend investigation confirms this amount stems from the user’s historical large model invocation fees. OpenClaw itself is free to install, but invoking large models during use incurs Token fees—consistent with most current Agent tools.”

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