Can I Use Binance From China?

Short answer

This question is about China specifically — for US holders, the relevant equivalent is "is Binance.com available to me?" The answer for US persons: no, Binance International (binance.com) is not available. US residents must use Binance.US instead, which has narrower product coverage and state-by-state availability. Binance International blocks US IPs and KYC documents at registration; VPN workarounds violate terms of service and can result in account closure with funds frozen.

The two Binances

Binance International (binance.com) — the global platform, deepest liquidity, most product offerings. Not available to US persons.

Binance.US (binance.us) — separate US-regulated entity, available to most US states. Operates under FinCEN MSB registration and state-by-state money-transmitter licenses. Significantly fewer trading pairs, no derivatives, no futures, no margin trading.

Binance.US has been licensed in most US states but not all. The list changes; check the official availability page before signing up. States that don't allow Binance.US: residents have alternatives like Coinbase, Kraken, Gemini, Robinhood Crypto, all licensed in most states.

What "blocked" actually means

If you have a US passport or driver's license submitted for KYC, Binance International will reject the application. If your IP is from a US-based ISP, the login page geo-blocks. If you somehow create an account despite these checks (via VPN, fake docs), Binance.com routinely freezes accounts and requests proof of non-US residency for withdrawal — this has produced multi-month delays and lost funds for users who tried to circumvent the policy.

The VPN workaround risk

Operationally a VPN can get past the IP geoblock, but the KYC documents and bank withdrawal still reveal US identity. The 2023 enforcement against Binance for serving US persons via VPN resulted in $4.3B in fines and frozen funds for many such users. The path "use Binance International via VPN" is high-risk for a US holder; the funds you put in may not come out.

The recommendation

For US residents: use Binance.US where available, Coinbase or Kraken otherwise. The "I want Binance International's lower fees" appeal is real, but the regulatory friction is now intense enough that it's not worth the risk. Sign up with code BN16188 on Binance.US to receive the standard referral fee discount.

Further reading: CEX, Exchange evaluation handbook.