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BIS export records: What they are and why they matter for crypto compliance
When you hear BIS export records, official logs maintained by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security that track the export of sensitive technologies. Also known as BIS licensing data, these records don’t just track jet engines or radar systems—they also control the flow of encryption software, quantum computing tools, and AI-driven transaction analyzers that underpin blockchain networks. If a crypto exchange uses a mining rig with a chip made in the U.S., or a wallet developer relies on a proprietary encryption library, that tech might be logged in a BIS export record. It’s not about Bitcoin itself—it’s about what powers it.
These records directly affect where crypto companies can operate. For example, when Iran or North Korea is added to BIS sanctions lists, any company using U.S.-origin encryption tech to build a privacy coin must stop servicing users there. That’s why exchanges like VAEX and UPTX vanished—they didn’t just lack regulation, they violated export controls. Even something as simple as a developer in India using a U.S.-built blockchain node software could trigger a BIS audit if the software has classified cryptographic features. The Investment and Securities Act 2025, a U.S. law that redefined digital assets as regulated commodities didn’t just clarify crypto trading—it forced exchanges to cross-check every user’s location against BIS export lists. If you’re running a node in the UAE, you’re fine—because the UAE was removed from the FATF greylist and now complies with BIS-aligned controls. But if you’re mining in Iran, even legally under local law, your hardware might still be flagged by U.S. export records.
And it’s not just about countries. BIS export records also track who gets access to advanced cryptography tools. That’s why projects like PRIVATEUM GLOBAL (PRI) and SPAY have to be careful—they use zero-knowledge proofs and other privacy tech that falls under export restrictions. If they don’t document their software distribution properly, they risk being classified as violating international trade law. Even airdrops can be affected: if an NFT token like APENFT or RACA uses a U.S.-developed smart contract library with export-controlled encryption, distributing it to users in sanctioned regions becomes illegal. The OECD Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework, a global standard for tax transparency that countries like India are adopting is one piece of the puzzle—but BIS export records are the hidden enforcement layer that makes compliance real.
You won’t find BIS export records listed on CoinMarketCap. But if you’re building, trading, or investing in crypto today, you’re already living inside their rules. The posts below show you how these records quietly shaped the fate of exchanges, airdrops, and even the survival of blockchain games. Some platforms disappeared because they ignored them. Others succeeded because they built compliance into their core. This isn’t bureaucracy—it’s the invisible infrastructure keeping crypto from collapsing under its own legal weight.