Are binance.com and binance.us the Same Thing?
No. binance.com is the global main site, while binance.us is an independently operated U.S. site. The two are legally separate entities -- the accounts don't cross over, and their coin listings and features differ significantly. For non-U.S. users, the one to use is always binance.com. To get in, open the Binance Official Site directly. Mobile users will find it easier to install the Binance Official App, and the installation method for iOS is covered in the iOS Install Guide. Don't let the shared name "binance" trick you into signing up on the U.S. site -- Chinese users basically can't use the U.S. site normally, and even withdrawals will stall.
Origins of the Two Sites
binance.com: The Global Site, Established in 2017
Binance was founded by Changpeng Zhao in July 2017, and the headquarters moved from Shanghai to Hong Kong to Malta, and now to Dubai, UAE. binance.com serves more than 180 countries and over 280 million users (2025 annual report data), and is the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world by trading volume.
binance.us: The Independent U.S. Entity Spun Off in 2019
Launched in September 2019, binance.us is an independent legal entity Binance set up to comply with U.S. FinCEN and state-level financial regulations. The operating company is BAM Trading Services Inc. After CZ resigned from the binance.us board in 2023 following U.S. DOJ charges, the relationship between the two was further decoupled.
They Really Are Two Separate Companies
Many users assume binance.us is just binance.com's U.S. branch -- it's not. The operating entity, compliance licenses, customer support, tech stack, and customer fund custody are all independent. The SEC's 2024 lawsuit against binance.us drove a full technical-level split.
Core Differences Compared
| Category | binance.com (global) | binance.us (U.S.) |
|---|---|---|
| Launch date | July 2017 | September 2019 |
| Operating entity | Binance Holdings Limited | BAM Trading Services Inc. |
| Regulatory regions | Dubai VARA, France AMF, Italy OAM, etc. | U.S. FinCEN + state MSBs |
| Supported users | Global users outside the U.S. | U.S. residents only |
| Listed coins | 350+ | About 160 |
| Perpetual futures | Supported | Not supported |
| Spot margin | Up to 10x | Not supported |
| Fiat on-ramp | 60+ fiat currencies | USD only |
| Chinese support | Simplified, Traditional, Cantonese | English, Spanish only |
| App Store region | Global (excluding U.S.) | U.S. only |
| KYC requirement | International ID/passport | U.S. SSN or ITIN |
| Token airdrops | Full Launchpool | U.S.-compliant tokens only |
Can Accounts Carry Over?
Answer: No
An account registered on binance.com cannot log in to binance.us, and vice versa. The two systems' user databases are fully independent -- you can even register the same email on both sides without conflict.
Funds Don't Cross Over Either
The USDT balance you hold on binance.com cannot be used directly on binance.us. To move funds, the only path is:
- Withdraw the coin from binance.com to your own wallet
- Deposit from that wallet into binance.us
- Pay the withdrawal fee + on-chain fee in the process
For USDT as an example, the TRC20 withdrawal fee is about 1 USDT, and ERC20 is about 5 USDT (April 2026 data).
API Keys Are Separate Too
API keys used for quantitative trading are generated independently on each site. A trading bot developed against binance.com cannot be plugged into binance.us directly -- you'll need to change the endpoint and signing method.
Which Should Chinese Users Use?
Use binance.com
The reasons are straightforward:
- Chinese users don't have a U.S. SSN, so they fail binance.us KYC
- binance.us only supports the USD fiat rail (U.S. bank account + ACH), so Chinese bank cards don't work
- Even if you manage to deposit in USD, withdrawals will later require a U.S. tax form (W-9)
- The coin count is half that of binance.com, and the feature set is heavily cut
Where binance.com Is Friendlier for Chinese Users
- Simplified Chinese interface
- P2P supports RMB-to-USDT
- Supports Alipay and WeChat payment (via P2P, not Binance-processed directly)
- The App has Chinese-speaking support
- Full feature set including Earn, Launchpad, Alpha
What if I Signed Up on the Wrong One?
If You Only Registered and Didn't Deposit
Just leave the binance.us account alone and re-register on binance.com. The same email can be registered on both sides.
If You Already Deposited
Withdraw the funds to a wallet you control as quickly as possible, then move them to the correct site. Note: if binance.us KYC hasn't passed, withdrawals may be frozen -- you'll have to finish KYC first.
Closing a binance.us Account
After logging in, go to "Account Settings" -> "Close Account." Processing on the U.S. side takes about 5 business days. Accounts that never completed KYC go faster, since there's no tax filing involved.
FAQ
Q1: Can I use binance.com while traveling in the U.S.?
The account is still your binance.com account, but your U.S. IP will be detected, and some features (futures, margin) will be temporarily disabled. They automatically re-enable once you return to your home-country IP.
Q2: Will binance.us ever open registration to global users?
No. binance.us's regulatory posture is designed for U.S. residents, and the rules prohibit non-U.S. people from registering. This is an architectural constraint, not a business choice.
Q3: Which side has lower fees?
binance.com is lower. The default spot rate is 0.1%, or 0.075% after BNB discount. binance.us defaults to 0.1%, but offers no BNB discount (regulation doesn't allow it).
Q4: Which has faster coin listings?
binance.com, by a wide margin. For new coins, the average time from issuance to listing on the binance.com main board is 3-7 days. binance.us needs to clear U.S. SEC compliance review -- usually 90 days at minimum, and many meme coins will never list.
Q5: Can I install both Binance apps on an iPhone?
Yes. The international App Store offers Binance (for binance.com), and the U.S. App Store offers Binance.US (for binance.us). These are two different apps, and a single iPhone can have both at the same time.