Hamas military wing told donors to avoid sending crypto directly from Binance, DOJ filing shows
Reported by CoinDesk · AI-assisted summary by ChikoCorp AI News Desk
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Summary
The U.S. Department of Justice released documents showing that Hamas’ military wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, advised donors to avoid using Binance for transferring funds to their wallet. Instead, the group recommended using crypto platforms such as Bybit, OKX, Kast, and Redotpay, along with Tether’s USDT stablecoin on the TRC-20 network from Tron blockchain. The letter cautioned donors not to use the group's official name to avoid wallet blocking and emphasized completing transfers with applications other than Binance.
Why it matters
This revelation provides insight into how a sanctioned militant group assesses cryptocurrency exchanges and payment methods to evade detection and sanctions. It highlights ongoing concerns over the misuse of crypto platforms and stablecoins for financing terrorism. The source does not elaborate further on how this affects the broader market or regulatory landscape.
Key context
Hamas and other terror groups have increasingly used digital assets for donations and transfers, although traditional financial systems remain their preferred channels. The U.S. Treasury’s 2026 terrorist-financing risk assessment confirms ongoing crypto use by these groups. Prior reporting noted Hamas-linked crypto wallets received substantial funds, with investigations into tens of millions of dollars in potentially illicit transactions connected to Hamas before the 2023 attacks on Israel.
Key numbers and entities
The entities mentioned include Al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas’ military wing), Binance, Bybit, OKX, Kast, and Redotpay. The communication references Tether’s USDT stablecoin and the TRC-20 token standard on the Tron blockchain. Reported figures include approximately $41 million received by Hamas wallets between 2020 and 2023, and an investigation into $165 million in linked exchanges.
What remains unclear
It is not established how successful Hamas’ cryptocurrency fundraising efforts have been in practice. The source does not clarify whether the shift away from Binance directly results from improved KYC and AML protocols at Binance or from other factors. The exact mechanisms and scale of illicit activity on the suggested platforms remain ambiguous.