WeChat has censored Binance and Huobi searches

WeChat Censors Binance and Huobi Searches

The Chinese social media platform WeChat has recently come under fire for censoring searches related to two of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, Binance and Huobi. The censorship began on May 5th, when WeChat users noticed that searching for the terms “Binance” and “Huobi” returned no search results.

Why Has WeChat Censored These Searches?

The exact cause of the censorship is unknown, however it is likely due to a recent crackdown on digital currencies by the Chinese government. In April 2021, the People’s Bank of China issued a statement saying that all banks and payment companies must not “provide services related to virtual currency trading such as opening virtual currency trading accounts, registration, trading, clearing, and settlement of virtual currency.” Consequently, Chinese companies have been removing cryptocurrency-related content and services in compliance with the new regulations.

What Can WeChat Users Do?

At the moment, there is no known workaround to allow WeChat users to search for Binance and Huobi. However, here is a list of suggestions for other ways to access the exchanges:

• Use a VPN: A virtual private network (VPN) can be used to access the exchanges from outside of China.
• Use a Third-Party Website: Several websites, such as Unblock.io, offer links to the exchanges which allow for direct access.
• Use a Different Social Network: Sites such as Twitter, Reddit, and Telegram provide easier access to the exchanges than WeChat.

In conclusion, it appears that WeChat has censored searches related to Binance and Huobi, in an effort to comply with the Chinese government’s recent cryptocurrency crackdown. While there are no known ways to search these exchanges on WeChat, there are other options to access them. It was revealed recently that WeChat – the popular Chinese social network and messaging app – had introduced censorship of several cryptocurrency exchanges. According to reports, searches within WeChat for any of the following exchanges has been blocked: Binance, Huobi, OKEx, and Bithumb. This news has sparked various reactions from the global crypto community, who have argued that censorship of these services is a violation of freedom of speech.

This is not the first time WeChat has come under scrutiny for its censorship practices. In the past, the app has also blocked search results for terms such as “Brexit” and “Occupy Central”.

Given the Chinese government’s attitude towards cryptocurrencies, it is hardly surprising that it has sought to restrict access to certain exchanges. The Chinese government has been vocal in its opposition to cryptocurrencies, stating that they do not meet their definition of legal tender. In recent years, China has gone so far as to ban IPOs related to cryptocurrencies, as well as launch a nationwide crackdown on mining activities.

In response to the censorship, Huobi and Binance have released statements noting their support for Chinese regulations, while simultaneously expressing internal regret that searches for their exchanges are being blocked.

Overall, this censorship throws into question the ability of the crypto community to share their thoughts and opinions regarding these exchanges – and the crypto market as a whole – on the WeChat platform. WeChat, as the most popular and widely-used social network in China, plays a major role in helping the crypto community interact and stay informed about the latest developments in the space. Without free expression of opinions, it is unclear how the crypto community will continue to stay engaged with each other in a meaningful way.