Binance has fired at least five members of its compliance investigations team after they internally flagged more than $1 billion in transactions allegedly tied to Iranian entities, according to Fortune. 

The transactions reportedly took place between March 2024 and August 2025. As reported, they were routed using Tether’s USDT stablecoin on the Tron blockchain.

USDT on Tron: A Familiar Pattern For Iran?

The firings allegedly began in late 2025. Several of the dismissed staff had law enforcement backgrounds and held senior investigative roles. 

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Fortune reported that at least four additional senior compliance staff have also left or been pushed out in recent months.

The reported $1 billion in flows were denominated in USDT and moved across the Tron network. That combination has repeatedly appeared in recent sanctions enforcement actions involving Iran-linked activity.

Earlier this month, the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned two UK-registered crypto exchanges, Zedcex and Zedxion. It’s alleged that the exchanges processed nearly $1 billion in transactions tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). 

According to OFAC and blockchain analytics reporting cited by TRM Labs and Chainalysis, much of that activity also involved USDT on Tron.

Separately, BeinCrypto reported in January that Iran’s central bank accumulated more than $500 million in USDT amid pressure on the Iranian rial. Blockchain analytics firm Elliptic said the purchases likely aimed to secure hard-currency liquidity outside the traditional banking system, effectively creating a parallel dollar reserve.

Taken together, these cases show how stablecoins—particularly USDT—have become central to Iran-linked cross-border financial flows.

Binance has not publicly confirmed that the alleged Iran-linked transactions violated sanctions laws, nor has any regulator announced new enforcement action against the company related to this reporting. 

However, the episode unfolds amid broader scrutiny of stablecoin infrastructure and the role of exchanges in geopolitical sanctions regimes.

David Princay, the president of Binance’s France arm, was targeted by armed robbers on Thursday just hours before the same gang attacked an unnamed crypto entrepreneur at their home.

According to local media, three men broke into Pincay’s Val-de-Marne apartment, eventually fleeing with two mobile phones.

The robbers reportedly tried to continue their spree hours later, this time targeting a home in the commune of Vaucresson that belonged to a crypto entrepreneur.

After gaining access to the house, they beat the entrepreneur with their guns before fleeing.

Police were able to track the stolen phones to this second address and discovered that the attackers had used the same vehicle used in the Princay raid in their other escapades.

The three were subsequently tracked to the city of Lyon, where they were arrested. 

The attacks appear to have been poorly planned as, during the raid on Princay’s home, the robbers had to force other residents living in the same building to point them towards his apartment. 

Also, during the second raid, a woman reportedly overheard the robbers questioning their own directions, saying, “The address isn’t right,” and “Stéphane lives at number 41.”

Since the attacks, Binance CEO Richard Teng has confirmed that the “[French colleague] and his family are safe and working closely with law enforcement.”

Read more: French government gives crypto entrepreneurs priority police line

Binance’s Princay joins list of crypto victims in France

France has become known for crypto-specific robberies in which criminals rush wealthy investors and physically intimidate them into giving up their crypto. 

A French tax agent who passed the details of crypto entrepreneurs and other authoritative individuals to criminal gangs saw her prison appeal rejected last month.

In that same month, another victim was tied up by three masked men who were looking for her partner’s USB stick, which contained access to his cryptocurrency. 

Last year, the alleged ringleader of a series of crypto-related kidnappings in France was arrested in Morocco. They’re suspected of orchestrating the kidnapping of Ledger CEO David Balland.

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) kicked off Friday’s session with a modest smile, boosted by a softer-than-expected January CPI print that renewed appetite for risk assets. Traders priced in cooler inflation while keeping a wary eye on the path of policy, with the largest cryptocurrency carving a path toward notable resistance as the CPI data circulated. At one point, BTC rose by as much as 4% intraday, with the benchmark token trading near the $69,000 region on Bitstamp as traders assessed how the inflation backdrop could shape Federal Reserve expectations in the near term.

Key takeaways

• Bitcoin surged on the back of a January CPI print that cooled beyond expectations, lifting BTC/USD toward the $69,000 level on Bitstamp and signaling renewed momentum in the short run.
• Core CPI matched estimates at 2.5% while the overall CPI printed 2.4%, both softer than anticipated, fueling a broad risk-on swing across macro assets.
• Market odds of aggressive Fed easing remained limited, with CME FedWatch showing slim chances of a rate cut at the March meeting, complicating the path for a sustained breakout.
• Analysts highlighted a confluence of technical references around the 68,000–69,000 area, including the old 2021 all-time high and the 200-week EMA, as a potential higher-low anchor for BTC.
• Gold climbed toward a symbolic milestone while the US dollar index attempted a recovery after the CPI release, underscoring a mixed but constructive macro backdrop for risk assets.

Tickers mentioned: $BTC

Sentiment: Bullish

Price impact: Positive. The CPI surprise propelled Bitcoin higher, with daily gains peaking near 4% and the price testing the $69,000 vicinity on major venues such as Bitstamp.

Market context: The inflation print fed into a broader narrative where macro assets showed a tempered response to cooling inflation, even as rate-cut expectations remained guarded and positioned around the mid-year horizon. Traders watched for durably slowing inflation signals to justify an acceleration in risk-taking, while acknowledging that policymakers may still stride cautiously given a resilient labor market and evolving growth dynamics.

Why it matters

The January CPI outcome reinforces a delicate balance in which inflation is trending lower, but policymakers are unlikely to rush the rate-cut cycle. The data echo a pattern observed in recent weeks: inflation metrics are trending toward multi-year lows, yet the Federal Reserve’s reaction function remains data-dependent. For BTC and the broader crypto market, softer inflation can translate into improved liquidity and a more forgiving risk environment, which historically tends to favor speculative assets and risk-sensitive sectors.

From a technical standpoint, traders are watching key price zones that have previously served as turning points. The 68,000–69,000 zone is notable because it intersects with the 2021 all-time high and the 200-week exponential moving average (EMA), a level analysts have cited as an anchor for potential higher-lows in the near term. Several market participants described BTC as consolidating in a potential falling-wedge pattern, a setup that could precede another leg higher if momentum builds. A recent update from a prominent trader noted that an initial breakout attempt at around the 68,000 level faced resistance, reinforcing the idea that the next meaningful move would likely be defined by how the market handles that zone.

Beyond BTC, macro gold also flirted with significant levels, highlighting a broader risk-on mood among non-crypto assets as the CPI narrative evolved. The U.S. dollar index found some footing after the initial CPI dip, a dynamic that can influence risk appetite across asset classes, including digital assets. In this environment, BTC’s performance could act as a barometer for market demand for risk assets and for investors seeking hedges or diversifiers amid evolving macro signals.

One notable thread in the commentary around the CPI release was the consideration of future Fed policy moves. While some market observers argued that a rate cut could become more plausible if inflation continues to ease, others cautioned that a single data print does not alter the central bank’s reaction function overnight. A widely cited dashboard showed that probability of a March rate cut remained in the minority, underscoring the challenge for crypto bulls to sustain a sustained breakout without clearer signs of easing monetary policy. In a related thread, a market observer referenced a lower-bound view on policy shifts, suggesting that the inflation trajectory would need to demonstrate sustained deceleration before a meaningful shift in rate expectations could be priced in. Investors also weighed a perspective opposing the surprise: that a temporary CPI softness might simply reflect statistical quirks rather than a durable downward trend.

For traders who have been watching the narrative unfold, the CPI surprise did not fully resolve the tug-of-war between risk-on optimism and the structural caution that has characterized crypto markets for much of the past year. While BTC’s intraday rally underscored renewed enthusiasm, many participants stressed that the long-term trajectory would hinge on the Fed’s path and on the sequencing of economic data in the coming weeks. A closing thought from a market commentator who tracks inflation data and policy expectations noted that, even with a favorable inflation print, the real test lies in whether inflation can stay on a downward trajectory long enough to alter policy expectations meaningfully.

The CPI data’s impact on the market narrative can be glimpsed through the lens of the related coverage around inflation dynamics and policy. For readers seeking concrete context, the CPI release is documented by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the associated commentary on how core and headline readings evolved. The market’s reaction to the data is also shaped by how traders interpret the probability of future rate actions, as reflected in tools that gauge Fed expectations. Additionally, analysts cited external inflation trackers and independent assessments to illustrate the nuanced view of inflation risk in the current environment. For a broader sense of sentiment, the community’s discussions surrounding the CPI data and Fed policy provide a snapshot of how this turning point is perceived by traders and researchers alike, including conversations that reference alternative inflation metrics as a lens to evaluate CPI outcomes.

The narrative also includes perspectives from traders active in social channels, where analysts often cross-reference inflation data with on-chain signals and technical indicators. A notable thread tied to the CPI release highlighted the idea that the CPI decline, while supportive, is not a decisive turn; rather, it is part of a broader sequence that could unfold across the next several weeks as the market calibrates its expectations for policy, liquidity, and macro risk appetite. The ongoing dialogue among market participants underscores the importance of keeping a close watch on how the inflation data evolves and how policy guidance evolves in response, as those dynamics will continue to influence BTC’s trajectory and the crypto market more broadly.

For readers who want to explore the underlying data themselves, the CPI release and the market’s interpretation of it are widely covered in real-time feeds and official releases. The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides the primary figures, while market data platforms and analysis from research shops offer additional context on how these numbers translate into rate expectations, liquidity, and risk sentiment. In the eyes of many traders, the CPI print is less a singular event than a datapoint in an ongoing process—one that will shape the tempo and nature of crypto market movements in the weeks to come.

TradingView BTCUSD chart shows the intraday velocity, while the CPI context remains anchored by the U.S. CPI release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. As a contemporaneous note, a widely circulated tweet from market analyst Andre Dragosch referenced Truflation’s sub-1% CPI readings as supporting evidence for a less aggressive inflation profile than some conventional measures imply. The exchange between traditional data and alternative inflation metrics continues to shape expectations around rate moves and cross-asset correlations.

In sum, the CPI surprise injected a tactical lift for Bitcoin, but the broader path remains a function of policy expectations, liquidity conditions, and the ongoing assessment of inflation trends. As the market digests the data, traders will be watching for a softening CPI to translate into a more explicit willingness to price in rate cuts—and with that, a more durable upside for BTC and the broader crypto complex.

Earlier coverage noted the delicate balance between momentum and resistance around the $68,000–$69,000 zone, a region that has historically defined the near-term tempo of BTC price action. The narrative continues to evolve as macro conditions, policy signals, and on-chain fundamentals interact in real time.

For additional context and data points discussed during the CPI reaction, see the related notes and coverage linked throughout this timeline, including references to the FedWatch tool and broader market commentary that has tracked the shifting probability of rate cuts in the March horizon.

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Anchorage Digital, Kamino, and Solana Company are piloting a structure that could ease a longtime friction between traditional finance and DeFi: the ability to borrow against staked tokens without moving assets out of regulated custody. The collaboration expands Anchorage’s Atlas collateral management platform by integrating Kamino, a Solana-based decentralized lending protocol, with a framework that keeps collateral in custodial control. Solana (SOL) ((CRYPTO: SOL)) sits at the center of the arrangement, as the Solana Company treasury—an on-chain asset pool backed by Pantera Capital and Summer Capital—provides a tangible anchor for the program. The goal is to give financial institutions liquidity without forcing them to relinquish staking rewards or move assets into smart contracts that may carry higher regulatory or operational risk.

Key takeaways

• Atlas’s collateral management is being extended to support native staking positions, enabling lenders to use staked SOL as collateral while assets remain in Anchorage’s custody.
• Anchorage acts as collateral manager, setting loan-to-value ratios and margin requirements, and performing liquidation if necessary, removing the direct on-chain custody burden from regulated entities.
• The involved treasury, Solana Company, holds a large SOL position and participates in governance and risk disclosures through its custodial framework and public partnerships.
• The move unfolds amid a broader regulatory debate in the United States around DeFi, with the CLARITY Act aiming to clarify jurisdiction and standards for digital-asset activities.
• Industry groups warn that early draft language does not fully distinguish between centralized intermediaries and decentralized protocols, adding a layer of regulatory risk to institutional adoption.

Tickers mentioned: $SOL

Sentiment: Neutral

Market context: The development mirrors growing institutional interest in DeFi-enabled liquidity while regulators weigh how to apply traditional securities and banking rules to on-chain lending and custody models.

Why it matters

The Anchorage-Kamino-Solana Company arrangement represents a tangible path for institutions to engage with decentralized lending markets without altering their custody and compliance posture. By keeping the collateral in segregated, regulated custody at Anchorage Digital Bank, lenders can maintain certainty around asset segregation, reporting, and risk controls that are typically required for regulated entities. The model reduces a historical hurdle: moving assets into on-chain, non-custodial environments that can complicate lending approvals, risk management, and auditability for banks and asset managers.

From a risk-management perspective, Anchorage’s role as collateral manager—determining loan-to-value caps, margin calls, and potential liquidations—adds a familiar, governance-backed framework to on-chain lending. It gives institutions a governance layer that complements Kamino’s DeFi lending markets, potentially expanding the universe of assets that institutions are comfortable using as collateral. The custody-first approach aims to preserve staking rewards, which for SOL holders can mean ongoing yield while accessing liquidity. This is particularly salient for large treasuries such as Solana Company, which has built a sizable SOL position and participates in ecosystem funding and governance through its holdings.

Regulators, on the other hand, watch closely. The CLARITY Act, which seeks to establish clearer jurisdiction and regulatory standards for digital assets, has become a focal point in policy debates. While supporters argue the bill would reduce uncertainty for market participants, critics counter that it does not fully delineate how decentralized protocols, developers, and governance frameworks should be treated under the law. The tension is evident in industry discussions and public commentary, underscoring that even innovative custody-friendly DeFi solutions must operate within an evolving regulatory landscape. In this context, the Anchorage-Kamino-Solana Company collaboration can be seen as a practical test case: it demonstrates what regulated institutions are willing to try, and where policy gaps may need to be filled to broaden safe participation.

Solana Company’s position—reported to be one of the largest SOL-based treasuries—adds another layer of credibility to the experiment. Its holdings, and the associated disclosures, underscore the willingness of specialized treasury teams to explore on-chain lending as a liquidity tool, provided that custodial safeguards remain intact. The project’s public materials also point to Solana’s ecosystem ambitions and the role of strategic treasury management in supporting on-chain liquidity without destabilizing staking yields or governance processes.

The technical structure hinges on integrating Kamino’s lending protocol with Atlas’s collateral framework. Under the program, a loan would be issued against natively staked SOL, but the actual SOL remains in Anchorage’s segregated custody. That separation matters because it preserves the institution’s regulatory, accounting, and risk-management controls while granting access to liquidity through Kamino’s on-chain markets. Anchorage’s oversight includes monitoring collateral value relative to loan size, maintaining margin requirements, and triggering liquidations if risk thresholds are breached. This model avoids the conventional requirement for institutions to transfer assets into smart-contract-based vaults, a sticking point that has historically limited regulated participation in DeFi lending markets.

The integration was announced in a period when Solana’s ecosystem, including its treasury vehicles, has been under scrutiny for both performance and risk. The Solana ecosystem’s public-facing information notes that the Solana Company treasury holds a substantial stake in SOL, reinforcing the relevance of this development to how large on-chain holders think about liquidity and risk. This event aligns with broader industry interest in on-chain lending, especially where custody remains in regulated environments. For market participants, the arrangement signals a potential template for expanding institutional DeFi exposure without eroding the protections and oversight that banks and trust companies emphasize.

What to watch next

• Regulatory clarity progress on the CLARITY Act and related DeFi governance provisions, including any committee votes or amendments that clarify custody vs. on-chain lending.
• Milestones in the Atlas-Kamino integration, such as go-live dates, onboarding of initial institutional users, and risk-management enhancements.
• Solana Company’s ongoing SOL portfolio disclosures and any new risk disclosures tied to staking yields and on-chain liquidity use.
• Updates from Anchorage Digital Bank on custody controls, compliance reporting, and risk-management metrics as more institutions engage with the structure.

Sources & verification

• Anchorage Digital’s expansion of Atlas collateral management through Kamino integration with Solana Company’s treasury.
• Solana Company treasury data and public disclosures via CoinGecko.
• CLARITY Act overview and DeFi market-structure discussions.
• Public policy discussions and industry meetings surrounding DeFi oversight, including high-level regulatory engagement by the Trump administration.

Market reaction and key details

The collaboration between Anchorage Digital, Kamino, and Solana Company illustrates how institutions may bridge custody-grade risk controls with DeFi liquidity pools. By enabling native staking positions to serve as collateral without a custody transfer, the program could unlock new liquidity channels for regulated entities. The emphasis on collateral management, risk controls, and segregated custody is consistent with a broader trend: institutions seeking to participate in on-chain lending while preserving traditional compliance and reporting regimes. The Solana ecosystem’s treasury dynamics, including Solana Company’s substantial SOL holdings, will be watched closely to see how risk disclosures evolve as the program expands. For practitioners, the approach could inform future collaborations that pair regulated custody with decentralized markets, potentially shaping how banks, asset managers, and corporate treasuries view DeFi liquidity tools.

Key figures and next steps

The project’s practical implications hinge on governance, custody risk controls, and the speed at which regulated institutions feel comfortable expanding their DeFi participation. If the pilot proves scalable and appropriately regulated, it may pave the way for broader adoption of staking-backed liquidity facilities that keep assets under regulated custody while granting on-chain access to lending markets. Observers will be watching for formal go/no-go decisions from participating institutions, any changes to Atlas collateral parameters, and additional asset classes considered for similar custody-preserving lending structures.

TLDR

• The United States issued a general licence to Reliance Industries, allowing direct purchases of Venezuelan oil without breaching sanctions.
• The move follows Washington’s easing of sanctions on Venezuela’s energy sector after internal political changes.
• General licence permissions include buying, exporting, selling, and refining extracted Venezuelan crude.
• Reliance had previously stopped Venezuelan oil imports due to sanctions but now could resume direct purchases.
• The licence supports Reliance’s efforts to diversify crude sources and reduce reliance on higher‑cost alternatives.

The United States has issued a general license allowing India’s Reliance Industries Ltd to purchase Venezuelan oil directly. This development follows the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The decision could streamline Venezuela’s oil exports while benefiting Reliance’s refining operations.

U.S. Eases Sanctions to Facilitate Venezuelan Oil Purchases

According to a Reuters report, the U.S. has eased sanctions on Venezuela’s energy sector, aiming to support a $2 billion oil deal with Washington. The sanction relief also complements the broader goal of aiding Venezuela’s oil industry reconstruction.

A general license now authorizes companies to buy and refine Venezuelan oil, bypassing previous restrictions. Reliance Industries applied for the license in January. As one of the world’s largest oil refiners, it operates an advanced refining complex.

The license will allow Reliance to resume buying Venezuelan oil directly. This could expedite the company’s plans to replace Russian oil supplies.

Reliance’s Oil Strategy and the Role of Venezuelan Imports

Reliance recently bought 2 million barrels of Venezuelan oil from Vitol, a major trader. The company is expected to continue seeking discounted Venezuelan crude, replacing Russian oil in its refineries.

Reliance’s purchase marks a shift from the company’s earlier reliance on Russian oil amid geopolitical tensions. The U.S. has granted specific licenses to traders like Vitol and Trafigura, enabling them to sell Venezuelan oil.

These traders now have the authority to market large quantities of oil from Venezuela. This move aims to reduce Reliance’s dependence on more expensive crude, thus lowering costs for its refining operations.

The Strategic Shift in Global Oil Supply Chains

Reliance’s refineries, with a combined capacity of 1.4 million barrels per day, stand to benefit from the cheaper Venezuelan oil. The company had ceased buying Venezuelan crude in 2025 due to U.S. sanctions but will now be able to resume direct purchases.

This shift will allow Reliance to diversify its oil sources amid the changing global oil market. The general license granted by the U.S. marks a key step in this transition.

By securing access to discounted Venezuelan oil, Reliance can maintain its competitive edge. This development could further align India’s energy interests with U.S. strategic goals in the region.

Passing the CLARITY crypto structure bill could improve market sentiment amid the ongoing downturn, according to United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

The stalling of the CLARITY bill over concerns voiced by crypto industry executives has negatively impacted the industry, Bessent told CNBC on Friday. He said:

“In a time when we are having one of these historically volatile sell-offs, I think some clarity on the CLARITY bill would give great comfort to the market, and we could move forward from there. 

I think if the Democrats were to take the House, which is far from my best case, then the prospects of getting a deal done will just fall apart,” Bessent continued.

He said that getting the bill passed “as soon as possible” and sent to US President Donald Trump for signature by spring, which occurs between late March and late June in the US, is important, given the potential shift in the balance of power in the 2026 midterm elections. 

Related: White House officials met with crypto, banking reps to discuss stablecoins

The 2026 midterm elections could throw a wrench in Trump’s crypto agenda

The balance of power typically shifts in US midterm election years, Joe Doll, the former general counsel at non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace Magic Eden, told Cointelegraph.

“President Trump has a two-year unimpeded mandate that can be weakened greatly in the 2026 mid-term elections and reversed in the 2028 elections,” economist Ray Dalio said in January.

This potential political shift could reverse the Trump administration’s pro-crypto policies, if they are not codified into law, Dalio warned.

The Republican Party holds a slim four-seat majority in the US House of Representatives, with 218 seats compared to 214 seats held by the Democratic Party, according to data from the US House.

47% of traders on the prediction market Polymarket project that power will be split in the 2026 midterms, with each political party taking control of one chamber of Congress.

The Polymarket odds of a full sweep by the Democratic Party, meaning they claim a majority in both chambers, is 37% at the time of this writing.

Magazine: Crypto wanted to overthrow banks, now it’s becoming them in stablecoin fight