Sanctions Investigator (1 year contractor) - MENA

Binance; Abu Dhabi; Remote; AED 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Binance in the United Arab Emirates seeks an experienced Sanctions & CTF Investigator to join its Compliance team. You will lead end-to-end investigations into sanctions exposure and high-risk activity, performing blockchain tracing and OSINT to map funds and connections to sanctioned parties on a global crypto platform.

The role requires expertise with OFAC/UN/EU frameworks, strong report writing, and regulator-facing outputs.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of sanctions or financial crime investigations in crypto/financial services.
• Strong ability to conduct multi-source investigations and produce defendable outputs (SARs/STRs).
• Experience with sanctions screening platforms is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Conduct end-to-end sanctions and CTF investigations across Binance's platform.
• Perform on-chain tracing and OSINT to identify fund flows and links to sanctioned entities.
• Prepare investigation reports and regulator-facing filings in a timely manner.
• Manage case load within defined SLAs and document case records.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Investigative mindset

Regulatory reporting

Excellent written/verbal communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Law, Criminal Justice, Computer Science, or related field

Tools

Chainalysis

Elliptic

TRM Labs

Job description

Binance is a leading global blockchain ecosystem behind the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume and registered users. We are trusted by 300+ million people in 100+ countries for our industry-leading security, user fund transparency, trading engine speed, deep liquidity, and an unmatched portfolio of digital-asset products. Binance offerings range from trading and finance to education, research, payments, institutional services, and more. Our mission is to increase the freedom of money and financial access for people around the world.
We are looking for an experienced Sanctions & CTF Investigator to join Binance's Compliance team. This role is focused on conducting in-depth investigations into sanctions exposure and counter-terrorism financing activity across Binance's global platform. The ideal candidate brings strong investigative instincts, hands-on blockchain analytics experience, and a solid understanding of sanctions frameworks and CTF typologies in the crypto context.

Responsibilities

Investigations

• Conduct end-to-end investigations into sanctions-related alerts, CTF suspicions, and high-risk activity flagged through transaction monitoring or referrals
• Perform blockchain tracing and on-chain analysis to identify fund flows, wallet attribution, and links to sanctioned entities or terrorist financing networks
• Investigate cases involving OFAC, UN, EU, and other global sanctions lists, applying appropriate jurisdictional knowledge
• Prepare clear, accurate, and well-evidenced investigation reports, including SAR/STR filings where required

Case & Alert Management

• Manage an assigned caseload within defined SLAs, prioritising effectively and maintaining accurate case records
• Conduct open-source research (OSINT) to enrich investigations and identify connections to sanctioned parties, terrorist organisations, or illicit networks
• Support client off-boarding processes for cases involving confirmed or suspected sanctions exposure

Process & Compliance

• Ensure all investigative activity is conducted in line with Binance's Global Sanctions Policy and CTF compliance frameworks
• Identify process gaps or control weaknesses observed during investigations and elevate recommendations for improvement

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in sanctions investigations, CTF investigations, or financial crime investigations in a crypto or financial services environment
• Hands-on experience with blockchain analytics tools: Chainalysis, Elliptic, TRM Labs, or equivalent
• Strong working knowledge of global sanctions frameworks (OFAC, UN, EU, UK) and CTF regulatory requirements
• Proven ability to conduct complex, multi-source investigations and produce clear, defensible written outputs including SARs/STRs
• Experience with sanctions screening platforms (e.g. World-Check, ComplyAdvantage, Actimize) is an advantage
• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Law, Criminal Justice, Computer Science, or a related field
• Strong analytical and investigative skills — able to connect disparate data points and form well-reasoned conclusions
• Excellent written and verbal communication — investigation reports must be audit-ready and regulator-facing
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-volume environment with competing priorities

Nice To Have

• CAMS, CGSS, or equivalent professional certification
• Prior experience in law enforcement, an FIU, or a regulatory body
• Experience with OSINT tools and open-source investigative techniques
• Knowledge of DeFi, cross-chain activity, and emerging crypto financial crime typologies

Why Binance

• Shape the future of finance
• Collaborate with world-class talent in a user-centric global organization with a flat structure
• Tackle challenging projects in a fast-paced and innovative enviornment with autonomy
• Thrive in a results-driven workplace with opportunities for career growth and continuous learning
• Competitive salary and company benefits
• Remote-first, work-from-home arrangement (may vary depending on the nature of the role and team)

Binance is committed to being an equal opportunity employer. We believe that having a diverse workforce is fundamental to our success.
By submitting a job application, you acknowledge that you have read our Candidate Privacy Notice.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.