NEW YORK, Nov 21 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Cryptocurrency is a precocious industry, in its lows as well as its highs.
So it makes sense that Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, has agreed to pay a $4.3 billion fine for anti-money laundering, effortlessly surpassing penalties paid by miscreant financial firms that have been around for more than a century longer.
Binance boss Changpeng Zhao, a kingpin of crypto and the man who precipitated the downfall of bankrupt rival FTX, pleaded personally guilty on Tuesday to criminal violations.
HSBC (HSBA.L), (0005.HK) in 2012 agreed to pay $1.9 billion for its role in facilitating drug cartels’ money laundering.
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Persons:
Changpeng Zhao, FTX, Zhao, Binance, Al Qaeda, It’s, Goldman Sachs, Goldman, David Solomon, Sam Bankman, John Foley, Sharon Lam
Organizations:
Reuters, HSBC, HK, Malaysian, U.S . Treasury Department, Thomson
Locations:
Iran, North Korea, U.S