Binance gave Russia data on client who donated to Ukraine after leaving Russian market

According to documents reviewed by the news agency, Russian investigators asked Binance for information about Belenkiy’s transactions. In response, the cryptocurrency exchange provided detailed information about crypto transfers to a wallet used to raise funds for Ukraine.

Case documents show that Belenkiy transferred more than $700 to the Ukrainian military. The transfers were made in 2023 and 2024.

Russian law enforcement authorities also obtained customer data from Binance, including his date of birth, address, phone number, passport number, a copy of his Russian passport and a copy of his Bulgarian residence permit.

Binance announced its full exit from the Russian market in September 2023. The company said it cooperates with law enforcement agencies in response to lawful requests and in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

Mike Bystrov, a lawyer specializing in cryptocurrency regulation, said Binance may not have been required to provide the data to Russian authorities. If Belenkiy was registered on the platform as an EU resident, he may have been protected by the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR. In that case, transferring his personal data to Russia may have required compliance with additional conditions.

Belenkiy, who holds a Russian passport and a Bulgarian residence permit, is being held in a Russian prison awaiting trial.

Reuters said the documents relate only to Belenkiy’s case. The news agency was unable to determine whether Binance had provided Russian authorities with data on other customers who made cryptocurrency donations to Ukraine.

Reuters previously reported that a Binance representative met with Russia’s financial intelligence agency in 2021, when the agency sought help identifying users who had donated bitcoin to Alexei Navalny.

In May 2025, hackers targeted the Binance cryptocurrency exchange.