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DOJ memo reportedly warns Binance may end courtesy freezes from June 8

DOJ memo reportedly warns Binance may end courtesy freezes from June 8

Reports said the U.S. Justice Department warned staff Binance may provide less informal help in crypto cases, but the exchange denied any reduction and said U.S. law enforcement cooperation will continue unchanged.

Fact Check
Both elements of the headline claim are corroborated. The DOJ memo warning that Binance may end 'courtesy freezes' from June 8 (requiring MLATs/formal processes) was first reported by The Information and echoed by BeInCrypto, Yahoo Finance, and multiple X posts. Binance's denial—calling any suggestion of reduced cooperation false and attributing the matter to a misunderstanding of Abu Dhabi (ADGM) licensing/data-protection rules while working with the DOJ to correct it—is documented in 'Binance Blames DOJ Warning on Misread of Abu Dhabi Rules.' The memo itself is not public and the reporting is explicitly attributed/'reportedly,' which slightly limits certainty, but the existence of the report and Binance's dispute are firmly established across independent sources.
Summary

A reported internal U.S. Department of Justice memo told prosecutors handling digital asset cases to expect reduced informal cooperation from Binance, including an end to so-called courtesy freezes starting June 8. The Information said Binance would instead require Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty requests, or other formal legal steps, for some account freezes and crypto seizures abroad. Binance denied any policy change, saying there has been and will be no change to its cooperation with U.S. law enforcement, and said it would continue responding to valid requests tied to active investigations. The issue matters because courtesy freezes can help preserve assets quickly in cross-border crypto probes, while formal treaty channels can move more slowly and complicate fast-moving recovery efforts.

Terms & Concepts
  • courtesy freezes: Voluntary temporary account holds an exchange may apply before full legal paperwork arrives.
  • Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty requests: Formal government-to-government legal requests used to seek evidence, freezes or seizures across borders.
  • crypto seizures: Law enforcement actions to restrain or take control of digital assets tied to investigations.