Connect with us

News

Binance halts Bitcoin withdrawals for the second time

Binance halted Bitcoin BTC $27,416 withdrawals for the second time on May 8, citing a large backlog of pending withdrawals.

Published

on

Binance halted Bitcoin BTC $27,416 withdrawals for the second time on May 8, citing a large backlog of pending withdrawals.

Binance tweeted on May 8 that it closed off BTC withdrawals “temporarily” as there was a “large volume of pending transactions.”

It added the transactions were still pending, as its “set fees did not anticipate the recent surge in [Bitcoin] network gas fees.”

The exchange provided an update almost two hours after its initial tweet and said it was “replacing the pending [Bitcoin] withdrawal transactions with a higher fee so that they get picked up by mining pools.”

Nearly three hours after it’s first tweet, Binance said Bitcoin withdrawals had resumed with pending transactions being processed with higher transaction fees.

It added it was working on enabling withdrawals via the Lightning Network which it claimed could help mitigate such withdrawal halts in the future.

At the time, the Bitcoin mempool had a backlog of around 400,000 transactions waiting to be processed. That swelled to nearly 485,000 at the time of Binance’s second withdrawal halt, according to data from mempool.space.

A mempool is an area where transactions on the Bitcoin network “wait” before being verified by each blockchain node.

Binance saw significant Bitcoin net negative outflows on May 7 with around 175,650 BTC worth around $4.95 billion flowing from the exchange on the day according to data from CryptoQuant.

Binance claimed this outflow data was actually it moving Bitcoin between its hot and cold wallets.

Business

Binance tightens South African compliance rules for crypto transfers

Published

on

Binance is tightening compliance measures for crypto transactions in South Africa, announcing it will fully implement the country’s Travel Rule requirements beginning January 2025. The move aligns with regulations set by South Africa’s Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) and reflects the exchange’s broader efforts to meet global anti-money laundering standards.

Under the new rules, Binance will require South African users to include verified personal information—such as names, addresses, and account details—when sending or receiving crypto between platforms. These changes are designed to increase transparency and traceability of digital asset transfers, making it harder for illicit actors to exploit decentralized networks.

Binance emphasized that users must complete know-your-customer (KYC) verification before transferring crypto to or from external wallets. Transfers to non-compliant platforms may be restricted or flagged, while internal transfers within Binance or to Travel Rule-compliant entities will remain unaffected.

The announcement follows South Africa’s decision in 2023 to designate crypto as a financial product, placing digital asset providers under the supervision of the FIC. The country has since taken steps to integrate crypto into its formal regulatory structure, including licensing requirements and mandatory reporting obligations.

With enforcement beginning in 2025, Binance urged users to familiarize themselves with the new procedures to avoid disruptions. The exchange also plans to provide additional guidance and tools to help users remain compliant as the deadline approaches.

Continue Reading

Business

Ethereum bounces back as market dominance recovers from all-time low

Published

on

Ethereum has staged a notable recovery after recently experiencing its lowest market dominance since its early days. The turnaround comes as ETH surged nearly 4% in the past 24 hours, climbing back above the $3,100 mark and narrowing its underperformance gap relative to Bitcoin.

For much of 2024, Ethereum has trailed behind Bitcoin and a growing wave of altcoins, with its market share dropping below 15% — levels not seen since 2015. The slump was driven by investor focus on Bitcoin ETF momentum, lackluster institutional interest in ETH, and rising competition from layer-1 and layer-2 networks offering faster and cheaper alternatives.

Despite these challenges, Ethereum’s fundamentals remain strong. Data shows a healthy uptick in active addresses, transaction volumes, and total value locked in DeFi protocols built on Ethereum. Additionally, hopes remain high for the approval of a spot Ethereum ETF in the U.S., with analysts suggesting a potential turnaround in institutional flows if approved.

Traders are now watching whether this rebound signals a sustained trend reversal or just a temporary relief rally. With key upgrades and ecosystem developments still in the pipeline, Ethereum’s ability to regain dominance may hinge on reigniting both investor confidence and broader developer activity.

Continue Reading

Business

SEC says it won’t re-file fraud case against Hex’s Richard Heart

Published

on

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has confirmed it will not pursue a retrial in its fraud case against HEX founder Richard Heart, effectively bringing an end to one of the agency’s high-profile crypto enforcement actions.

The decision follows a recent court ruling that dismissed several key allegations against Heart, including claims that he misled investors and violated securities laws through the promotion and sale of HEX, PulseChain, and PulseX tokens. While the SEC initially signaled it would consider further legal options, it has now opted to forgo additional litigation.

Heart, a controversial figure in the crypto world, had long denied the SEC’s accusations, framing the lawsuit as an overreach by regulators. The agency had alleged that Heart raised over $1 billion from investors while misrepresenting how funds would be used and failing to register the offerings.

With the SEC stepping back, the dismissal marks a rare instance in which the regulator has chosen not to continue a crypto-related fraud case, potentially signaling a reassessment of its approach amid growing legal pushback and mounting scrutiny over its enforcement tactics.

Although the case is now closed, legal analysts suggest the outcome could influence future regulatory efforts and may embolden other crypto founders facing similar challenges. Heart, meanwhile, has positioned the development as a vindication, reaffirming his stance that HEX and related projects were never in violation of U.S. securities laws.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2025 cryptonews.lk