CZ Counters Fortune Article: Self-Contradictory and Sensationalist, Binance Only Upgrades Normal Talent

BlockBeats News, February 14th, CZ responded on social media to Fortune's "Binance Fires Top Anti-Money Laundering Exec Amid Probe of $1 Billion in Transactions to Illicit Sites Linked to Iran" report, stating:

I don't know the specifics or the parties involved, but just from the article itself, there are contradictions. This incident can be framed in various ways no matter how it is reported. If this news is true, it also means that third-party tools (which law enforcement also uses) similarly did not flag it. Just find a "disgruntled" or paid-off "anonymous tipster" to spread panic, and the media can put a negative spin on anything.

Approximately 20% of people change jobs every year, which is normal. Company personnel changes are normal; people will switch to better companies, and the remaining team members will have more opportunities for development and advancement.

Binance CEO Hae Yi also stated that any compliance-minded personnel would handle all types of cases. The fact is, Binance has always proactively initiated criminal investigations, shared findings with law enforcement, and helped users prevent potential fraud losses. However, we also need to continue upgrading our talent pool precisely because greater investment and higher standards in compliance have led to these achievements.

BlockBeats previously reported that according to Fortune, Binance recently fired multiple compliance investigators. Internal documents show that these investigators had internally reported that entities linked to Iran received over $1 billion through Binance between March 2024 and August 2025, with the transactions involving the stablecoin Tether (USDT) settled on the Tron network, potentially violating U.S. sanctions.