Binance Converts SAFU Fund to Bitcoin After Oct. 10 Backlash—Will it Restore Trust or Add Risk?

Key Takeaways

• Binance will convert its $1 billion SAFU emergency fund from stablecoins into Bitcoin over the next 30 days.
• The shift comes as Binance faces fresh backlash over Binance Alpha listings that surged briefly before collapsing.
• A BTC-backed SAFU fund may appeal to Bitcoin supporters, but it also adds volatility risk to the user protection pool.

Binance is making a major change to its Secure Asset Fund for Users (SAFU), its long-running emergency reserve designed to protect customers in case of hacks or unexpected incidents.

The announcement lands at a tense moment for the exchange, as criticism has intensified across X over Binance’s token listing practices, particularly through its Binance Alpha program.

Binance To Convert $1 Billion SAFU Fund to Bitcoin

Binance said it will gradually convert roughly $1 billion in SAFU-stablecoin reserves into Bitcoin over the next 30 days.

In an open letter to the crypto community, the exchange outlined how the transition will work:

• Binance will swap the full $1 billion in stablecoins into BTC over a 30-day period.

• Binance will track the fund’s market value on an ongoing basis.

• If Bitcoin price swings push SAFU’s value below $800 million, Binance said it will add more BTC to restore the fund to $1 billion.

Binance described Bitcoin as “the foundational asset of this ecosystem and the premier long-term store of value,” framing the move as a long-term bet on BTC and a sign of confidence through market cycles.

What Is SAFU and Why the Change Matters

Binance launched SAFU in 2018 as an emergency insurance pool to reimburse users in the event of security incidents.

The exchange has historically funded the reserve by allocating 10% of trading fees.

SAFU has been tapped in the past for reimbursements, including a $7 million payout in December 2025 tied to a Trust Wallet vulnerability.

Until now, SAFU has largely relied on stable assets, including stablecoins such as USDC, to reduce volatility and preserve predictable coverage.

Moving the fund into Bitcoin marks a clear shift toward a more crypto-native reserve strategy.

Confidence Move or Added Risk?

Binance’s decision looks designed to signal strength and long-term conviction in Bitcoin.

But it also raises new questions about stability, especially as the exchange faces heightened scrutiny from parts of the crypto community.

Some traders and industry figures have recently criticized Binance’s influence on market structure and liquidity.

Others have pointed to repeated collapses in newly listed tokens as evidence that the exchange’s listing standards have weakened.

Against that backdrop, shifting SAFU into Bitcoin may reassure BTC supporters.

However, it could also fuel concerns that the emergency fund is now exposed to sharper drawdowns during market downturns.

The Downsides of Holding SAFU in Bitcoin

A SAFU fund backed primarily by BTC carries trade-offs:

• Higher volatility: Bitcoin’s price can swing sharply, which could reduce SAFU’s value at the exact moment users need it most.

• Single-asset exposure: Concentrating the fund in BTC increases reliance on one asset instead of a more diversified reserve mix.

• Timing concerns: With Binance still facing backlash over listing-related losses, critics may view the move as a headline-grabbing pivot rather than a solution to deeper trust issues.

Binance’s pledge to top up the fund if it falls below $800 million may help address those concerns.

Still, the move shifts SAFU away from the stability of dollar-pegged reserves and into a more market-dependent structure.

For now, Binance’s SAFU conversion reads as both a statement of confidence in Bitcoin and a calculated risk—one that will be closely watched as scrutiny around the exchange continues.