CommEX won’t reveal ownership, says Binance isn’t in control

CommEX took over Binance’s operations in Russia this week after Binance left the country due to a mismatch with its compliance strategy

article-image

Aleksandr Khmeliov/Shutterstock modified by Blockworks

share

CommEX released an open letter early Friday morning addressing concerns raised in the wake of Binance’s recent exit from Russia.

Binance fully withdrew from Russia earlier this week, stating that it had sold off its business there to local exchange CommEX for an undisclosed amount.

What has alarmed industry watchers, however, is that CommEX seems to have launched only just this week, something that was essentially confirmed in the letter. Notably, CommEX only became a member of X in September 2023 and has a modest online presence with just seven posts.

These revelations have stoked suspicions that Binance or CEO Changpeng Zhao remain in control of the new exchange.

Zhao denied the swirling claims that he owns CommEX on Thursday, but said a few former Binance-CIS employees may join the CommEX team. 

“I am not their [ultimate beneficial owner], nor do I own any shares there. The deal does not have any buy back options,” Zhao wrote on X.

Loading Tweet..

Adam Cochran, a partner at Cinneamhain Ventures, expressed skepticism about CommEX’s independence. In an X thread, he highlighted that CommEX’s login page still offers an option to log in using Binance credentials.

Loading Tweet..

CommEX said it’s been developing its platform for six months and has a team comprising “dozens of passionate individuals.” Some of those individuals are “former Binance veterans,” according to the letter. 

What wasn’t disclosed, however, is information detailing CommEX’s owner, despite the fledgling exchange wanting to converse with customers “in the spirit of transparency.”

“Although we do not disclose our [ultimate beneficial owner], we want to make it clear that we are not owned by Binance,” CommEX wrote. “Our leadership may choose to maintain a low profile, but their extensive skills significantly shape our strategic growth and contribute to our achievements within the cryptocurrency industry.”


Don’t miss the next big story – join our free daily newsletter.

Tags

Upcoming Events

Hilton Metropole | 225 Edgware Rd, London

MON - WED, MARCH 18 - 20, 2024

Crypto’s premier institutional conference returns to London in March 2024. The DAS: London Experience:  Attend expert-led panel discussions and fireside chats  Hear the latest developments regarding the crypto and digital asset regulatory environment directly from policymakers and experts   Grow your network […]

Salt Lake City, UT

WED - FRI, OCTOBER 9 - 11, 2024

Pack your bags, anon — we’re heading west! Join us in the beautiful Salt Lake City for the third installment of Permissionless. Come for the alpha, stay for the fresh air. Permissionless III promises unforgettable panels, killer networking opportunities, and mountains […]

recent research

logo.jpeg

Research

Akash is a general-purpose compute platform with GPUs, storage, LLM training or inference, and validator hosting through its two-sided marketplace.

article-image

The SEC could allow half a dozen or more such funds to launch at once, Ark Invest CEO says

article-image

2023 saw a decline in a16z crypto funding, but the behemoth VC firm teased what it’s excited for next year

article-image

“Iran Unchained” launched a new version of its grant platform to make donations to activists easier

article-image

The stablecoin marks the first time a regulated European bank has made a euro-pegged stablecoin available on a crypto exchange

article-image

Build it and they will come, perhaps, but making crypto easier to use is turning out to be just as important

article-image

Amid moves by Itau Unibanco and Nubank, the country could serve as “a proof of concept” for TradFi-crypto integrations, industry research exec says