Binance's ADGM licensing in December 2025 aimed for a fresh start, but European investigators say its UAE data routing policy slows their probes, the NYT reports.
Alpha Score of 42 reflects weak overall profile with weak momentum, poor value, moderate quality, weak sentiment.
A New York Times report published July 28 detailed frustration among European investigators with Binance's policy of routing most non-urgent foreign data requests through UAE channels. The policy shift has slowed response times for ongoing probes, the report said, citing unnamed European law enforcement officials.
Binance secured comprehensive licensing from the Abu Dhabi Global Market in late December 2025, with three regulated entities going live Jan. 5, 2026. The ADGM licenses cover trading and clearing, with a separate brokerage license under Nest Trading. The framework was designed as a gold standard for digital asset oversight in the Middle East, regulators said at the time.
European investigators told the NYT that the routing policy, combined with staff turnover in Binance's compliance division, has made it harder to obtain timely information. The exchange had previously handled requests directly through its compliance teams in Europe, the report noted.
For Binance, the UAE was meant to be a regulatory reset after years of scrutiny elsewhere. The exchange paid $4.3 billion to settle charges with U.S. authorities in 2023. It also faced the detention of employees in Nigeria in 2024. The new friction with European law enforcement could test the ADGM's willingness to stand behind its licensee, one person familiar with the regulator's thinking told the NYT.
The ADGM did not respond to a request for comment. Binance declined to comment on the record.
Prepared with AlphaScala editorial tooling from the source reporting linked above. Indexable analysis may include a cited Alpha Score value. Publishing checks screen each story before release. Educational coverage, not personalized advice.