Law enforcement authorities in Dubai and Sharjah detained and questioned Binance employees during the summer of 2026, holding one staffer overnight. The inquiries focused on a corporate bank account used to process customer deposits and withdrawals, where the employees were listed as signatories. Binance stated the employees were promptly cleared and released. The incident adds fresh scrutiny to the exchange as it rebuilds following its $4.3 billion US criminal settlement in 2023.
UAE detention of Binance employees
- ▪A Binance spokesperson stated that a small number of employees provided standard statements about third-party fund flows, were never targets of the inquiries, and were promptly cleared and released.
- ▪Law enforcement authorities in Dubai and Sharjah detained and questioned Binance employees during the summer of 2026, holding one employee overnight in a Sharjah police station.
Bank account signatory structure
- ▪United Arab Emirates law enforcement authorities detained the Binance employees at airports after finding their names as signatories on a corporate bank account used to process customer deposits and withdrawals.
- ▪Binance Dubai launched direct fiat AED deposits and withdrawals on June 2, 2026, with support documentation showing deposits moving by ADCB bank transfer into Binance FZE via virtual IBANs.
2023 US regulatory settlement comparison
- ▪In 2023, Binance agreed to a $4.3 billion criminal settlement with United States authorities over anti-money laundering and sanctions allegations.
- ▪The 2026 United Arab Emirates detentions follow a 2023 incident where United States regulators probed Binance after a close associate of then-CEO Changpeng Zhao personally controlled corporate bank accounts and customer funds.
Binance UAE regulatory licenses
- ▪The Abu Dhabi Global Market's Financial Services Regulatory Authority granted Binance.com full authorization in their emirate, which took effect on January 5, 2026.
- ▪Binance holds a full Virtual Asset Service Provider regulatory license from Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, which was issued in April 2024.
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