Crypto exchange Binance said on Monday it will not block accounts of Russian users despite calls from Ukraine to take such action.
"We are not going to unilaterally freeze millions of innocent users’ accounts," a Binance spokesperson told CNBC. "Crypto is meant to provide greater financial freedom for people across the globe. To unilaterally decide to ban people’s access to their crypto would fly in the face of the reason why crypto exists," the company added. However, Binance stressed that it will block accounts of Russians targeted by sanctions.
Over the weekend, Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov urged "all major crypto exchanges" to freeze accounts linked to Russian and Belarusian politicians, as well as "ordinary users" from Russia.
