Telegram Cracks Down on Crypto Groups as Xinbi Redirects Users to SafeW - The Great Platform Migration of 2026

Messaging giant Telegram just dropped the hammer on cryptocurrency discussion groups, creating chaos across trading communities. Simultaneously, exchange platform Xinbi is pushing its entire user base toward SafeW in what appears to be a coordinated platform shift.

The Enforcement Wave

Telegram's moderation bots went into overdrive overnight, banning groups discussing trading strategies, token launches, and market analysis. No warning, no appeals process—just digital silence where vibrant communities once thrived. The timing couldn't be worse for retail traders who've come to rely on these channels for real-time information.

The SafeW Redirect

Meanwhile, Xinbi users are receiving persistent notifications urging migration to SafeW. The exchange isn't just suggesting the move—it's practically mandating it through interface changes and feature limitations on the old platform. This isn't a gentle nudge; it's a shove toward what Xinbi claims is a 'more secure trading environment.'

Platform Chess

Industry observers note the simultaneous timing raises questions about back-channel communications between platforms. Are we witnessing coordinated user migration, or mere coincidence during regulatory uncertainty? The lack of transparency around both moves fuels speculation about behind-the-scenes deals.

User Fallout

Traders now scramble to rebuild communities on alternative platforms while navigating forced platform migrations. The disruption hits hardest during Asian trading hours, where Telegram groups function as essential market intelligence networks. Some veteran traders compare it to 'changing engines mid-flight.'

The Regulatory Shadow

While neither Telegram nor Xinbi cites specific regulations, the moves align with increasing global pressure on crypto communication channels and exchange security standards. Whether proactive compliance or preemptive defense remains unclear—but the effect on user experience is decidedly negative.

Adapt or Die

The crypto ecosystem's resilience gets another stress test. Decentralized alternatives to Telegram already see surges in adoption, while traders evaluate whether SafeW's promised security justifies abandoning established Xinbi workflows. As one displaced group admin put it: 'They're herding us toward platforms that benefit them, not us—typical financialization of inconvenience.'

The cynical take? This feels less about user protection and more about controlling information flow while platforms position for the next regulatory cycle. Because nothing says 'financial innovation' like limiting where traders can talk while forcing them onto your preferred platform—all while collecting migration data for the next round of VC funding.

At the same time, they started pushing users to download SafeW and use XinbiPay, which also goes by NewPay. Traffic started to drop in December, but by January, users were sending large volumes through the new system.

The arrest of Chen Zhi, the head of Prince Group, and the collapse of Tudou Guarantee in January 2026 made users nervous. That’s when most people started jumping to SafeW, because by then, Xinbi already had everything in place.

Xinbi is believed to be based around the Golden Triangle, where Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos meet. It’s long been used by fraud networks to wash money and cash out stolen crypto.

Telegram bans groups while Xinbi pushes users to SafeW

Telegram used to be the Core of the Chinese-speaking guarantee service world. Since around 2019, groups like Huione, Haowang, and Tudou have been using bots, escrow features, and built-in wallets to handle anonymous crypto deals inside chat windows.

Xinbi joined that list in 2022 and quickly became like the top channel for criminals to swap funds without identity checks, according to TRM Labs.

But that all changed in May 2025 when FinCEN called Huione and Haowang the primary money laundering risks. The U.S. Treasury then used Section 311 to cut them off from the global financial system. Soon after, Telegram deleted huge clusters of channels, including ones tied to Xinbi.

Huione and Haowang tried to MOVE to ChatMe, but barely anyone followed. Users complained about delays, vanished admins, and stuck funds. Both platforms eventually shut down, according to TRM, but Xinbi handled it differently, in that it actually never told users to leave Telegram right away.

Instead, it slowly introduced SafeW and XinbiPay while keeping the old channels active.

Xinbi absorbs users while rivals shut down

From May to December 2025, Xinbi’s inflows nearly doubled, even after Telegram kicked it off. Meanwhile, Haowang and Huione saw their activity drop almost 100 percent. Tudou lost about 74 percent. These numbers came straight from TRM Labs’ on-chain tracking. Xinbi didn’t just avoid collapse. It took advantage of the chaos and pulled in more users.

That growth happened because Xinbi’s system is built to handle volume fast. Anyone offering shady services needs to send a security deposit to the admin team, sometimes as high as tens of thousands of USDT, depending on what they’re selling.

Once approved, they get a private channel. Deals are done in shared chat rooms with an admin acting as escrow. If something goes wrong, the admin uses the vendor’s deposit to settle it.

Once crypto lands inside XinbiPay, TRM Labs said it becomes a pain to trace, because the wallets are managed by the platform, not individuals.

TRM says investigators have to study the movement patterns inside the system. They watch for areas where large amounts of crypto gather, or where it exits the system.

Since 2022, Xinbi has handled at least $16.4 billion in transactions. Some of its listings included stolen data, fake IDs, deepfake tools, and money laundering services. Xinbi even claimed it was registered with FinCEN in the U.S. and FINTRAC in Canada. That gave it a fake sense of credibility, even though it was being used by fraud groups.

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