Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, has seen the departure of two key executives overseeing its operations in Eastern Europe and Russia. This comes as the exchange faces increasing scrutiny from regulators in the United States and other countries.
A spate of high-profile departures
Gleb Kostarev, who was the regional head for Eastern Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Turkey, Australia, and New Zealand, and Vladimir Smerkis, the general manager for the CIS region, announced their exits on social media platforms.
In the recent announcement, none of the Binance executives provided clear reasons for their resignations. However, Smerkis assured that he would discuss the details of their departure, future plans, and experiences at a forthcoming meeting in Moscow, either online or offline, in the next few weeks.
They join a growing list of senior executives who have left Binance in the past three months, including Helen Hai, who most recently managed Binance’s global fiat business.
Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao acknowledged the departures on social media, stating, “Some of our team members are growing into bigger roles, some outside of Binance. Some are doing new exciting ventures.” The departures add to the challenges facing Zhao, who is currently embroiled in lawsuits from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Regulatory woes and internal reorganization
Binance has been under the regulatory microscope for much of this year. The company has faced a series of compliance issues, including lawsuits and investigations over money-laundering controls. The exchange had also considered exiting its Russia business and ceased customer payments through sanctioned Russian banks. This follows a Wall Street Journal report detailing how Binance facilitated the movement of money abroad for Russians, adding to its legal woes in the U.S.
The internal reorganization and departures come at a time when Binance is attempting to pivot towards compliance. Founded in 2017, the exchange operated for years without licenses and without an official home base. As regulatory scrutiny intensified, Binance announced plans to become compliant but continued to take risks, according to industry insiders.
