Binance Declares War on ‘Listing Mafia’: $5M Bounty & 7 Entities Blacklisted
Binance offers up to $5 million for corruption tips and blacklists seven ‘listing agents’ following the ‘Year of the Yellow Fruit’ insider scandal.
Binance has opened a $5 million front against corruption.
The world’s largest exchange is purging its listing ecosystem. In a transparency update released Wednesday, Binance announced a bounty of up to $5 million for verified evidence of corruption and immediately blacklisted seven entities for posing as listing intermediaries.
This is a direct response to the “listing mafia,” third-party agents who extort projects with false promises of guaranteed exchange support.
If you are contacted by any party claiming to be a Binance employee, affiliate, or representative, please report it to us immediately.
The Blacklist
Binance released the names of seven entities and individuals identified by internal audits as fraudulent brokers. These actors falsely claimed to influence the listing process in exchange for exorbitant fees.
The blacklisted entities are:
- BitABC
- Central Research (including agents May and Dannie)
- Andrew Lee
- Suki Yang
- Fiona Lee
- Kenny Z
The consequence is absolute. Any project found utilizing these or other third-party intermediaries will be “immediately disqualified” from current and future listing reviews. The message to founders is stark: apply directly or don’t apply at all.
The ‘Yellow Fruit’ Catalyst
The aggressive crackdown follows a humiliating security breach earlier this month. On December 7, a Binance employee commandeered the official @BinanceFutures X account to pump a meme coin they created, dubbed “year of the yellow fruit.”
The rogue employee posted “Harvest abundantly” moments after deploying the token on BNB Chain. The asset surged 700% to a $6 million market cap before the scheme unraveled.
Binance moved quickly. The employee was suspended, and the exchange paid out $100,000 to five whistleblowers who flagged the on-chain discrepancy. The new $5 million bounty program scales this defensive strategy, effectively weaponizing the community against internal and external bad actors.
Market Reaction
BNB remained flat on the news, holding steady at $859 (+0.09%) as the market digested the regulatory tightening. While the cleanup may slow the velocity of new listings in the short term, the removal of predatory middlemen is a necessary step for institutional maturity.
