Binance: Nigeria orders cryptocurrency firm to pay $10bn (2024)

Binance: Nigeria orders cryptocurrency firm to pay $10bn (1)Binance: Nigeria orders cryptocurrency firm to pay $10bn (2)Getty Images

The Nigerian government says it has demanded almost $10bn (£8bn) in compensation from the cryptocurrency firm, Binance.

It says Binance manipulated foreign exchange rates through currency speculation and rate-fixing, which have seen the naira lose nearly 70% of its value in recent months.

Two Binance executives were arrested in Nigeria earlier in the week.

Binance has not responded to the BBC's requests for comment.

Nigeria is Africa's biggest economy and also one of the world's biggest cryptocurrency markets.

On Tuesday, Nigeria's central bank governor Olayemi Cardoso said Binance Nigeria had moved $26bn worth of untraceable funds.

"These allegations are weighty," Tilewa Adebajo CFG Advisory tells the BBC. "That's a huge sum - even more than the annual Nigeria diaspora remittances of $24bn".

"The government must have done their homework, hence the allegations."

Cryptocurrency transactions equivalent to about 12% of Nigeria's total income, or GDP, took place in the year to June 2023, according to Reuters news agency.

Cryptocurrencies are not illegal in Nigeria but firms must register in order to operate there, the government says. A special adviser to Nigeria's president told the BBC that Binance had failed to do this.

After he came into office last year, President Bola Tinubu scrapped the policy of pegging the naira to the dollar, allowing traders to buy and sell the currency at rates determined by the market. But special advisor Bayo Onanuga said the recent collapse was not the result of normal activity.

"All of a sudden the exchange rate went through the roof... and it was being caused by the people on Binance platform," he told the BBC Newsday programme.

"The government could not just fold its hands and allow this thing to continue."

Binance is understood to be one of the most popular cryptocurrency platforms in the country.

To the frustration of Nigerian users, Binance and several other cryptocurrency firms have been suspended in the country in recent weeks including Coinbase, Kraken, Forextime, OctaFX, Crypto and FXTM in an attempt to halt the slide of the naira.

As well as the collapse of the naira, the government also says cryptocurrency is used for money-laundering and funding terror.

The "anonymity and privacy inherent in the cryptocurrency system are what draw individuals, particularly those with illicit intentions, towards its use," said a recent report by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit.

Central bank governor Mr Cardoso said on Tuesday that "illicit flows" had been spotted on some cryptocurrency platforms in Nigeria. No specific firms were named as culprits.

In another measure intended to curb foreign-currency trading, Nigeria has closed thousands of bureaux de change.

Nigeria's central bank has been under pressure to stabilise the national currency, the naira, which currently exchanges at 1,595 naira to US$1, compared to about 460 a year ago.

The collapse of the naira has worsened the cost-of-living crisis. High food and commodity prices - including fuel and transport - have led to protests in recent weeks.

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Binance: Nigeria orders cryptocurrency firm to pay $10bn (2024)

FAQs

Binance: Nigeria orders cryptocurrency firm to pay $10bn? ›

The Nigerian government says it has demanded almost $10bn (£8bn) in compensation from the cryptocurrency firm, Binance. It says Binance manipulated foreign exchange rates through currency speculation and rate-fixing, which have seen the naira lose nearly 70% of its value in recent months.

Is Binance legit in Nigeria? ›

Wider legal challenges

Last year the Nigerian Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) declared that “Binance Nigeria is neither registered nor regulated by the Commission and its operations in Nigeria and are therefore illegal.

What happened between Binance and Nigeria? ›

Less than five years after integrating Nigeria's local currency onto its platform, Binance ended its naira services last month following a government crackdown that led to the arrest of two of its executives.

Does Binance pay tax in Nigeria? ›

Cryptocurrency firms operating in the country have started to implement a 7.5 per 7.5-cent Value Added Tax on all transactions carried out on their platforms. The development came a few months after the Federal Government charged Binance for reportedly failing to pay taxes.

What does the Nigerian government say about cryptocurrency? ›

Nigeria is reportedly stepping up its cryptocurrency crackdown with a proposed ban on peer-to-peer trading. The ban would affect P2P trading in the country's naira. The move is the latest effort to place tighter controls on the crypto sector, which the country blames for the decline of its national currency.

Are Nigerians still trading on Binance? ›

A few Nigerians were taken aback when cryptocurrency exchange Binance announced that it would suspend all operations in Nigeria by March 8.

Can I withdraw money from Binance to my Nigerian bank account? ›

On your Binance account, Convert your NGN to USDT. 4. Send USDT from Your Binance to your Exness account as a deposit, then withdraw as NGN into your local bank — even online banks like opay, and kuda is supported.

What is the crime of Binance in Nigeria? ›

Afterwards, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused Binance of laundering more than $35m (£27.5m) through its platform. In a separate suit, Nigeria's tax authority alleged that the company had not registered for remittance purposes in Nigeria and was therefore guilty of tax evasion.

Who is the CEO of Binance in Nigeria? ›

Binance CEO Richard Teng expressed strong dissatisfaction with the actions of the Nigerian authorities, condemning their treatment of Binance executives, especially the detention of Tigran Gambaryan.

How much is minimum deposit for Binance in Nigeria? ›

The maximum deposit amount per transaction is 430,000 NGN, while the minimum deposit amount per transaction is 150 NGN.

Which crypto is banned in Nigeria? ›

Nigeria has banned end-to-end transactions involving its currency, the naira, on the Binance cryptocurrency exchange platform.

Is crypto a crime in Nigeria? ›

Cryptocurrencies are not illegal in Nigeria but firms must register in order to operate there, the government says.

Which crypto sites are blocked in Nigeria? ›

In the case of Nigeria, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) ordered telecom companies to restrict consumer access to the websites of Binance, Coinbase, Kraken and many other crypto exchanges, including local operations.

Does Binance support Nigeria? ›

The company said while it discontinues trading in the Nigerian currency, its customers can “continue to make use of other Binance services and products for other available cryptocurrencies.”

Which bank works with Binance in Nigeria? ›

Binance added 21 banks across the African continent; however, 12 or 57% of those banks are Nigerian banks which include: Access Bank, Ecobank, Fidelity Bank, First Bank of Nigeria, FCMB, GTBank, Keystone Bank, Stanbic Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Sterling Bank, Zenith Bank, Union Bank of Nigeria.

Can a Nigerian open a Binance account? ›

If you live in Nigeria and try to access your Binance account, you'll likely encounter an error, just as I did on my phone. This issue began yesterday when the Nigerian government, in an attempt to save the Naira, decided to ban Binance.

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