Binance Halts ONT Transfers to Fortify Ontology's Security and Performance

Binance has announced the temporary suspension of Ontology (ONT) deposits and withdrawals beginning at 7:00 a.m. UTC on December 1, 2025, to facilitate a critical network upgrade and hard fork. The move, outlined in an official statement, aims to enhance the Ontology blockchain's security, functionality, and performance, with users advised to complete urgent transfers before the deadline. While spot trading of ONT will remain operational during the suspension, users will be unable to deposit or withdraw tokens until the upgrade is finalized. Binance emphasized that user assets stored on the platform will remain secure throughout the process, with services expected to resume once network stability is confirmed.

The upgrade includes a significant adjustment to Ontology Gas (ONG), a complementary token to ONT. Binance noted that the maximum supply of ONG will decrease from 1 billion to 800 million, with 200 million tokens permanently burned. This measure, part of the hard fork, is designed to align with broader network improvements, though circulating ONG supply will not immediately change due to existing locking mechanisms. The suspension mirrors Binance's standard protocol for supporting blockchain upgrades, as seen in its recent pause of Polygon (POL) transactions ahead of a December 9, 2025, upgrade. Such actions reflect the exchange's role in maintaining network stability while minimizing disruptions to trading activity according to recent reports.

The announcement comes amid ongoing legal challenges for Binance, including a high-profile lawsuit filed by families of victims of the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. The plaintiffs accuse the exchange of facilitating over $1 billion in transactions for Hamas, Hezbollah, and other designated terrorist groups, alleging systemic failures in compliance and anti-money laundering protocols. The case, filed in North Dakota federal court, highlights broader concerns about cryptocurrency platforms' vulnerabilities to illicit activity, even as Binance has pledged to strengthen its compliance measures since a 2023 guilty plea for regulatory violations.

For Ontology holders, the upgrade underscores the evolving nature of blockchain networks and the necessity of temporary operational pauses to enable technical advancements. Binance's proactive approach to supporting upgrades, while occasionally inconvenient, aligns with its positioning as a key infrastructure player in the crypto ecosystem. As the industry grapples with regulatory scrutiny and technological innovation, such measures may become increasingly common, balancing user experience with security imperatives.