One-Sentence Answer: Two Completely Independent Platforms
If you've heard that "Binance has two websites," most people assume they're just different language versions. They're not. binance.com (Binance Global) and binance.us (Binance US) are two independent companies, with two different account systems, two different coin lists, and two different KYC frameworks. Data isn't shared, and assets can't be transferred between them. Chinese users basically never need to use binance.us. To get back to the right entry for you, bookmark these three: Binance Official Site Binance Official App iOS Install Guide.
Below, the history, corporate relationship, feature differences, and user differences are all laid out — after reading, you won't confuse them again.
The Historical Relationship
2017–2019: The Unified Era
Binance was launched in July 2017 by CZ (Changpeng Zhao) in Hong Kong, registering binance.com for global service. Back then, US users could register and trade normally without regional restrictions.
June 2019: The Split
On June 14, 2019, Binance announced a ban on US users, because the SEC and CFTC began pressuring unregistered offshore exchanges. At the same time, binance.us was launched as an independent US arm, operated by a US company called BAM Trading Services, which obtained state-level MSB (Money Services Business) licenses.
The November 2023 Fine
In November 2023, CZ was indicted by the US Department of Justice over anti-money-laundering compliance issues. Binance paid a $4.3 billion settlement and CZ stepped down as CEO. From that point, the separation between binance.com and binance.us became even more complete — both CEOs, compliance teams, and customer service systems are fully independent. Currently, binance.us offers virtually no entry points for Chinese users.
Account System Differences
Registration
binance.com's registration page supports phone numbers and emails from over 180 countries globally. Except that US IPs are forcibly redirected to binance.us, everywhere else can register normally. binance.us only accepts US passport or green card holders, with mandatory KYC requiring Social Security Number (SSN) submission.
Account Migration
Many US users ask: can my binance.com account be migrated to binance.us? The answer: no direct migration. You must first withdraw all assets on binance.com, then register a new account on binance.us, complete a new KYC, and re-deposit. There's an on-chain fee loss in between.
The reverse is also true — binance.us accounts can't be migrated to binance.com.
KYC Requirements
binance.com's KYC is tiered. Basic identity verification (Lv.1) just needs a passport or national ID, and the daily withdrawal cap after completion is $1M equivalent. Advanced verification (Lv.2) requires video KYC.
binance.us's KYC is mandatory and must use US-issued ID + SSN. Without an SSN, you can't even open an account.
Coins and Feature Differences
| Item | binance.com (Global) | binance.us (US) |
|---|---|---|
| Coins listed | Approx. 350+ | Approx. 150 |
| Futures | Supported (USD-M, Coin-M, options) | Not supported at all |
| Leverage | Up to 125x | Up to 10x (most coins 3x only) |
| Fiat deposit | 150+ fiat currencies, 30+ payment methods | USD only (ACH, wire, debit card) |
| Fiat withdrawal | SWIFT, SEPA, local channels | ACH and wire only |
| Staking | Hundreds of coins | Only a few coins (some paused) |
| Launchpad | Yes | No |
| P2P | Yes (100+ fiat pairs) | No |
| Earn | Full product line | Flexible savings only |
| NFT marketplace | Yes | No |
| Lending | Yes | No |
| Chinese interface | Full support | English and Spanish only |
From this table, it's clear that binance.us has only about 30% of binance.com's features. For the vast majority of users, binance.com's product experience is far superior.
Fee Differences
binance.com Fees
Spot standard Maker/Taker is both 0.1%, reduced to 0.075% with BNB deduction. Futures Maker 0.02%, Taker 0.05%, with another 10% discount if paying in BNB. VIP tiers bring it down as low as 0.012%/0.024%.
binance.us Fees
Spot Maker/Taker is both 0.1%, but the BNB deduction gives only a 5% discount (much less than Global). And binance.us has no futures products, so no futures fees.
Deposit and Withdrawal Fees
On-chain withdrawal fees on both sides follow on-chain gas. But binance.us charges $15 per USD wire transfer, which stings. Many binance.com fiat channels are free or only charge 1 EUR.
Who Should Use Which
Use binance.com If You Are
- A user residing anywhere except the United States
- In mainland China, HK/Macau/Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Europe, or South America
- Looking for the full product line: futures, options, staking, NFTs
- Needing Chinese interface and Chinese support
Use binance.us If You Are
- A US passport or green card holder residing in the US
- Only trading spot, not touching futures
- Wanting US-based regulatory protection
- Primarily depositing and withdrawing USD
Basic rule: if you aren't a US resident, binance.us has no meaning for you — fewer features, higher fees, and inconvenient deposits.
Why Chinese Users Might Encounter binance.us
IP Identified as US
When accessing binance.com through US-based VPN nodes, Binance's risk control may infer you're in the US based on IP and automatically redirect you to binance.us. The fix is to switch back to a local IP.
Mixed Search Results
Some search engines return binance.us among results for "binance," and Chinese users may misclick. If the address bar ends in .us, close it and re-enter binance.com.
Wrong App Download
Searching "Binance" with a US Apple ID in the App Store shows binance.us App first (icon is also yellow). Don't download the wrong one. The binance.com official App in the App Store is named "Binance: Buy BTC & Crypto" or "Binance: Trade Crypto & BNB" — not "Binance.US."
Common Questions
Can My binance.com Account Still Work in the US
Technically you can log in, but if your KYC nationality is US, Binance risk control will restrict trading — only withdrawals allowed, no buying or selling. US residents must migrate to binance.us long-term.
Can Assets Be Transferred From One to the Other
No internal transfers. Must go through on-chain: withdraw from binance.com to your own wallet, then deposit from your wallet to binance.us. Incurs fees and time costs.
Is BNB the Same on Both Sides
The BNB token itself is the same on-chain, but the balances held in binance.com and binance.us accounts are separate. No direct inter-transfer — must go through on-chain.
Will binance.us Shut Down
After 2024, binance.us's business has shrunk considerably, and some state licenses have been revoked. But the entity is still operating. Whether it fully shuts down depends on the US regulatory trajectory. For now, it's still one of the largest compliant crypto exchanges for US users.
Which One Should a Newcomer Register
Unless you're a US resident, always register on binance.com. Don't register on binance.us just because it appears higher in search — even if you register, you can't use many features.
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