Binance.US Seeks $1 Billion Valuation in Potential $100 Million Funding Round
Key Takeaways
- •Binance.US is pursuing as much as $100 million in private funding at a reported $1 billion pre-money valuation as it works to expand its business and rebuild its standing in the US market.
- •The targeted valuation is far below the $4.5 billion pre-money valuation the exchange obtained in 2022, when it raised $200 million in seed funding.
- •Binance.US reportedly informed World Liberty Financial, the crypto platform co-founded by Donald Trump and his sons, about the funding round, but the firm will not be taking part.
- •The raise follows a controversial $2 billion investment last year between an entity tied to UAE royalty and World Liberty Financial, conducted using the USD1 stablecoin.
- •The fundraising is aimed at regaining market share from larger rivals after Binance Holdings' 2023 settlement, which included $4.3 billion in penalties and former CEO Changpeng Zhao's felony plea, followed by his 2025 pardon from Trump.
Binance.US is reportedly seeking to raise as much as $100 million in a funding round that could value the United States-based cryptocurrency exchange at $1 billion. The push for additional capital comes as the exchange works to rebuild its standing in the US market.
According to a Thursday report by Bloomberg, the US-based crypto exchange is pursuing private investment as it moves to expand its business. Even if the raise is completed at the targeted level, the prospective $1 billion valuation would still fall well below the $4.5 billion pre-money valuation the company secured in 2022, when it raised $200 million in seed funding. A pre-money valuation reflects a company's agreed worth before new capital is added, meaning the $1 billion figure would apply ahead of any fresh funds reaching the balance sheet.
Binance.US reportedly informed World Liberty Financial, the crypto platform co-founded by US President Donald Trump and his sons, about the funding round, although the firm will not be participating. The report follows Binance's entanglement last year in a controversial $2 billion investment between an entity tied to the United Arab Emirates royalty and World Liberty, a transaction carried out using the platform's USD1 stablecoin — a detail that connects the raise to the same Trump-affiliated crypto venture involved in the earlier USD1 deal.
The proposed funding round is reportedly part of Binance.US's efforts to regain market share against larger rivals following a 2023 settlement between Binance Holdings Ltd. and US authorities. As part of that agreement, Binance Holdings agreed to pay $4.3 billion in penalties and to accept additional monitoring and oversight, while its then-CEO, Changpeng Zhao, pleaded guilty to a felony charge. Zhao completed a four prison sentence before receiving a pardon from Trump in 2025. In the exchange business, market share matters because trading activity and liquidity tend to concentrate on the largest platforms, making investor appetite for this round a measure of how the rebuild is being received. With the round still at a reported stage, the final size, the confirmed valuation, and the full list of participants will only become clear if and when the deal is finalized.
