A US judge has approved Binance’s request to transfer a lawsuit related to allegations of money laundering to the Southern District of Florida, citing the first-to-file rule. The case, originally filed in Washington in August 2024, mirrors a lawsuit filed in Florida in June 2023, accusing Binance of enabling cybercriminals to launder money through its platform. US District Judge Barbara Rothstein stated that both complaints involve a similar proposed class of individuals whose cryptocurrency was stolen and transferred to a Binance.com account during a specific period. The first-to-file rule allows a court to defer a ruling on a matter if a similar complaint involving the same parties and issues is already pending in another district. The plaintiffs in the Washington case argued that it differed from the Florida suit by including additional accusations and naming former CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao as a defendant. However, Judge Rothstein ruled that transferring the case would promote efficiency by avoiding duplicative litigation. Three crypto investors initiated the suit in Washington, while a separate lawsuit was filed in Florida earlier, alleging that Binance facilitated the conversion of stolen crypto. The Florida court directed the case to arbitration in July 2024. This development underscores the legal challenges faced by the cryptocurrency exchange in the United States.