Cybersecurity Awareness Month spotlights Binance's commitment to keeping African crypto users safe

Take simple steps to protect yourself from online scams and cyber threats. (Image source: 123RF)

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Binance, which positions itself as the world's leading blockchain ecosystem and crypto-currency exchange, is marking Cybersecurity Awareness Month by encouraging crypto users across Africa to take simple steps to protect themselves from online scams and cyber threats. Working to keep users safe is an ongoing commitment for Binance built on strong compliance, partnerships with law enforcement and free education.

Across Africa, crypto is already part of everyday financial life. People use digital assets to send money home, save, pay for goods and run businesses. As more people come online, scammers are looking for new ways to reach them. Most crypto scams aim to break into systems. They trick people through fake websites, messages that pretend to come from trusted brands and offers that seem too good to be true.

Binance sees compliance as an ongoing investment in user protection, not simply a regulatory requirement. It invests approximately US$300 million a year in compliance with nearly 1 500 employees in compliance-related roles. Artificial intelligence helps these teams detect suspicious activity and emerging threats faster. Between 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, Binance's systems intercepted approximately US$10.53 billion in potential fraud, scams and unusual activity.

From a local context, Binance provides ongoing support to law enforcement including participating in commercial crimes training programmes run by the National Prosecuting Authority. Binance also continues to support the South African Police Services and Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) in ongoing cyber crime investigations.

"Security is what earns trust and trust is what allows crypto to keep growing in Africa. People are choosing crypto because it is useful in their daily lives. Our job is to make sure they can use it with confidence. That means building in protection from the very start," said Samukele Mkhize, Compliance Head for Binance Africa.

Because most scams target people rather than systems, education is one of the strongest defences against cyber crime and remains at the centre of Binance's approach. Binance has delivered free crypto education to more than 400 000 people across Africa through its Binance Masterclass programme. Alongside this, Binance Academy offers free online courses that teach users how to recognise phishing, fake websites and other common scams, with no prior experience needed. Binance encourages users to put this knowledge into practice with a few simple habits.

• Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) for every account.

• Set up an anti-phishing code so genuine Binance e-mails are easy to recognise.
• Use Binance Verify to check that a website, e-mail or social media account is official.
• Add trusted addresses to a withdrawal whitelist.
• Slow down because scammers rely on urgency.
• Report anything suspicious to Binance and local law enforcement and be wary of anyone offering to recover lost funds for a fee.

"The more people understand how scams work, the harder it becomes for scammers to succeed. Education, regulation and law enforcement work best together. At Binance, we see compliance as a responsibility and one that helps build a safer, more inclusive financial future for Africa," said Mkhize.

As crypto adoption grows across the continent, Binance continues to invest in the security, partnerships and education that keep users protected from cyber threats during Cybersecurity Awareness Month and beyond.

To learn more about staying safe, visit Binance Academy, Binance Verify and the Binance Security page.