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Binance Sets New Record: Spot Trading Volume Reaches $427 Billion

According to a recent CoinGecko report, Binance, the world’s largest centralized exchange (CEX) by trading volume, has retained its market leadership position in 2023. 

Despite facing increased regulatory scrutiny and undergoing significant leadership changes, Binance maintained a market share of 43.7% and saw its spot trading volume rise to $427.1 billion in December 2023, representing a 37.5% month-on-month (MoM) increase.

Binance Trading Volume Reached $3.8 Trillion In 2023

According to CoinGecko’s report, Binance started the year with a commanding 63.5% market share but experienced a gradual decline throughout 2023, ending with a 43.7% market share in December. 

While Binance still dominated the market with 52.6% of the total spot trading volume in 2023, the exchange’s relative market share decline was notable. In absolute terms, Binance generated $3.8 trillion in trading volume throughout the year.

Binance

As previously reported, Binance faced significant regulatory pressure throughout 2023, culminating in a settlement agreement in November that required the exchange to pay a $4.3 billion fine to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CTFC) for alleged financial breaches. 

As part of the settlement, Binance’s CEO, Changpeng Zhao (CZ), also agreed to step down. Richard Teng has assumed the role of the company’s head, while CZ remains restricted from traveling outside the jurisdiction of the United States as the legal battle unfolds. 

Upbit And OKX Follow Closely

Upbit, South Korea’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, managed to maintain its position as the second-largest centralized exchange in 2023, with a 9.5% market share and $687.0 billion in spot trading volume for the year.

According to the report, Upbit benefited from the Kimchi Premium, which resulted in strong local demand and premium prices for crypto assets. 

The exchange’s monthly spot trading volume hit a yearly high of $90.7 billion in December, with a 93.5% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) increase.

Conversely, OKX secured the third position among centralized exchanges in 2023, with a 6.7% market share and $485.9 billion in trading volume. Throughout the year, OKX experienced a steady increase in market share, starting at 5.1% in January and ending at 8.9% in December. The exchange’s trading volume in Q4 reached $177.9 billion, reflecting a notable 151.6% QoQ gain.

Among the top 10 centralized exchanges, CoinGecko reports that MEXC recorded the highest growth in Q4 2023, with trading volume surging by 203.7% to $90.4 billion. 

Bybit followed closely with a growth rate of 162.1% ($107.5 billion), while KuCoin experienced a growth rate of 161.2% ($49.2 billion). KuCoin regained its spot in the Top 10 in Q4 after briefly losing it in Q3, with a market share of 3.3% at the end of December.

Binance

Binance Coin (BNB) has successfully maintained its position above the $300 threshold, with the current trading price standing at $304. This represents a 1.8% decrease in price over the past 24 hours.

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com 

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Binance Compliance Officer Under Scrutiny For FTX, Gemini, And Sex Trafficker Associations

In a recent investigative report by the media outlet Unlimited Hangout, serious allegations were made against Noah Perlman, the chief compliance officer of Binance. 

The report highlights Perlman’s alleged ties to the collapse of FTX, the troubled Gemini exchange owned by the Winklevoss twins, and even convicted and deceased sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

If the allegations made by the media outlet prove true, and Perlman is investigated by US authorities, Binance could find itself embroiled in another executive scandal following the departure of former CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ).

Associations With Epstein And Alleged Fraud 

Unlimited Hangout alleges that Perlman’s father, Itzhak Perlman, a renowned violinist, had flown on multiple occasions on a plane owned by Jeffrey Epstein. Itzhak Perlman also reportedly accompanied Epstein to Michigan’s Interlochen Center for the Arts, where Epstein later built a lodge for him, which was later described as a “lair to target girls.” 

While Noah Perlman served as a federal prosecutor for the Department of Justice’s Special Coordinator for Crimes against Children, these family connections to Epstein raise questions about his associations.

After leaving the Department of Justice, Perlman joined Gemini, the cryptocurrency exchange owned by the Winklevoss Twins, as the chief compliance officer. Although Perlman had left Gemini months before the New York Attorney General filed a lawsuit against the exchange, he had been allegedly “heavily involved” in Gemini’s Earn program, which became the focus of the alleged $1.1 billion fraud. 

As reported by NewsBTC, the lawsuit alleges that certain individuals knew that the program’s partner, Genesis, was financially unstable and withdrew their funds before its collapse.

Per the report, Perlman held the position of chief operating officer at the time, raising suspicions about his role in the alleged misconduct.

Troubled Bank’s Links To Binance Officer And FTX

Perlman’s involvement with Farmington State Bank, later renamed Moonstone, adds another layer of complexity to the alleged wrongdoing cited by Unlimited Hangout.

According to the report, in 2019, Perlman was listed as a director of FBH Corp., the entity that took over the rural bank. Moonstone Bank later garnered attention when Alameda Research, linked to FTX, acquired an $11.5 million stake. 

Sam Bankman-Fried, the former chief of FTX, also reportedly invested $50 million in the bank. However, Moonstone Bank faced regulatory challenges, with the Federal Reserve initiating an enforcement action against it shortly before the Bank of Eastern Oregon acquired its deposits and assets.

Overall, Perlman is at the center of serious allegations concerning his alleged connections with Jeffrey Epstein, the failed Earn program at Gemini, and Moonstone Bank. 

However, it is important to note that these allegations have not been substantiated by any investigations or official connections made by US authorities or other global agencies. 

The claims and allegations put forth by media news outlets require further response from Binance’s executives and investigation by relevant authorities.

There has been no official statement from Perlman regarding these allegations. It remains to be seen how the exchange and Perlman himself will address these claims and provide clarity on the matter.

Binance

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com 

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BNB Plummets 10% Amid Binance’s $4.3 Billion Settlement And CEO’s Impending Resignation

Binance Coin (BNB), the native token of the Binance cryptocurrency exchange, has experienced a sharp decline of 10% following reports that Binance is preparing to settle criminal charges with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) through a $4.3 billion fine. 

Binance CEO To Plead Guilty

The Wall Street Journal has disclosed that Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ), commonly known as CZ, will plead guilty to violating criminal anti-money laundering requirements. 

Concurrently, Binance will also plead guilty to a criminal charge related to anti-money laundering violations, resulting in a significant fine. Furthermore, CZ is expected to step down as CEO, with Richard Teng being considered as a potential successor.

Changpeng Zhao is scheduled to appear before a federal court in Seattle to enter his guilty plea. This crucial legal step can further impact BNB’s price action as investors assess the implications of CZ’s admission of guilt regarding violating anti-money laundering requirements. 

The reported settlement involves Binance pleading guilty to a criminal charge related to anti-money laundering violations, leading to a hefty $4.3 billion fine. This substantial sum encompasses payments to settle civil allegations made by regulators. 

These developments occur in an increasingly stringent regulatory environment in the cryptocurrency industry. The recent charges brought by the SEC against Kraken further highlight the regulatory scrutiny faced by industry players. 

Additionally, market participants anticipate significant enforcement actions by the DOJ, which adds to the atmosphere of uncertainty and apprehension.

Will CZ’s Statement Halt BNB Downtrend? 

Despite the shocking revelation surrounding Binance’s leadership and its impact on the crypto community, there may still be hopes for a potential recovery of Binance Coin and the overall crypto market as the case reaches its conclusion.

With CZ reaching a settlement with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and pleading guilty to criminal charges, the exchange can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that regulatory agencies have addressed their concerns and potential legal action.

Furthermore, this settlement could be seen as a victory for regulators, particularly in light of the ongoing legal battles between the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Ripple Labs, which involve the cryptocurrency XRP. 

A favorable outcome in these cases could potentially boost confidence in the broader crypto industry and drive prices higher.

BNB

Currently, BNB is trading at $240, showing signs of recovery from its recent drop, which briefly touched $235 but managed to stay above the critical support level of $232. 

In further declines, BNB bulls will need to hold the support levels at $228, $217, and $214 to prevent the token from dropping below the critical level of $200.

However, suppose Changpeng Zhao and the new Binance CEO can provide a statement that reassures the community and instills a sense of calm. In that case, it may bring a renewed positive sentiment and potentially halt the current downtrend for BNB.

The unfolding of the situation, the next steps for the exchange, and CZ’s fate remain to be seen. The community and market participants eagerly await further developments and announcements shaping the future of Binance and its native token, BNB.

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com 

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Binance Freezes $11.8 Million In Stolen Assets Following Kidnapping Incident – Details

Chief Executive Officer of Binance, Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, has shared a report in which the exchange intervened in the theft of millions of dollars worth of crypto assets. Through a fast response operation, the Binance Global Head stated they were able to prevent the bad actors from making away with over 90% of the stolen loot.

Binance Confiscates $11.8 Million In Assets Belonging To Kidnapped Clients

In a Friday post on X, CZ stated that executives from one of Binance’s client companies were deceived into going on a business trip to Montenegro, during which they were kidnapped and forced to forfeit all assets in their crypto wallets.

In total, the Binance CEO stated that the bad actors were able to obtain approximately $12.5 million dollars worth of digital assets from their victims, which were all converted to USDT and moved to a TRON wallet. 

However, Binance was able to quickly intervene in the matter, alerting their partners to the situation, who were then able to freeze the wallet. In doing so, Binance foiled the kidnapper’s access to $11.8 million of the $12.5 million loot.

The incident recounted by CZ is not a new occurrence in the crypto space, as sometimes bad actors resort to such brazen methods to steal crypto assets from investors.

In 2020, Le Duc Nguyen, a Vietnamese investor, was kidnapped and robbed of about VND 35 billion ($1.5 million) worth of crypto assets by another Vietnamese man named Ho Ngoc Tai with the help of 15 gang members.

Tai claimed that he lost 1,000 Bitcoins valued at VND 100 billion by investing in other tokens based on financial advice. The crypto investor felt cheated and proceeded to obtain a “refund” via forceful means. 

Albeit, Tai and his hired hands were eventually apprehended by the police and faced trial in May 2023, during which 14 of the 16 culprits were given sentences ranging from 9 to 19 imprisonments.

CZ Faces Questions On Crypto’s Decentralization

Following Zhao’s account of the successful crypto asset recovery, some crypto enthusiasts raised concerns over Binance’s ability to freeze users’ assets at will, a feature synonymous with the fiat banking system.

However, the Binance boss stated that crypto users have a choice to avoid such occurrences, as assets can only be frozen on centralized exchanges (CEX). Using other forms of storage, such as non-custodial wallets, users’ assets are bound to remain inaccessible to any third party.

Binance

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BNB Chain Q3 Revenue Takes A Hit: Fees Plummet By 40%

In a recent report by Messari, the analysis sheds light on the developments and challenges faced by Binance Chain (BNB), the blockchain created by Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange regarding trading volume. 

The report highlights the separation of BNB Chain from Binance and various events and allegations that have impacted Binance and its associated entities throughout the third quarter of 2023.

Binance Chain Separation And Challenges

The Messari report emphasizes that BNB Chain has distinguished itself as an independent entity separate from Binance despite its origins as a product of the largest centralized cryptocurrency exchange. However, the market has not fully recognized this separation, leading to a lack of distinction between BNB Chain and Binance.

During the third quarter, Binance encountered numerous challenges, including losing partnerships, shutting down lines of business, conducting layoffs, and facing accusations of violating sanctions. 

BNB Chain

These events coincided with a downward pressure on the value of BNB, which experienced a 25% decline compared to the previous quarter. In contrast, the cryptocurrency market dropped by 9% during the same period.

The Messari report mentions that Binance, including its subsidiary Binance.US, was accused by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of engaging in unregistered offers and sales of “crypto securities”, including BNB. 

These allegations further added to the challenges faced by Binance and its associated entities during the third quarter.

BNB Chain Performance And On-chain Activity

Despite the challenges, BNB maintained its position as the fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, with a market cap of $35.3 billion. The circulating supply of BNB decreased by 1.3% in the third quarter due to the token-burning mechanism employed by BNB Chain.

The report also highlights the impact of adverse events on BNB Chain’s on-chain activity. BNB Smart Chain’s revenue, measured in BNB, fell in line with the decline in BNB’s market cap, indicating a decrease in activity on the Binance Smart Chain (BSC). Daily transactions (-14%) and average fees (-12) in BNB also experienced declines during this period.

BNB Chain offers staking opportunities for cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum (ETH), BNB, Cardano (ADA), and others. The report notes that the total stake and eligible supply declined by 3% and 2%, respectively, while the average annualized staking yield decreased from 2.6% to 2.1% during the third quarter.

BNB Chain

The DeFi sector on the BNB Chain demonstrated strength compared to other sectors. The NFT space experienced increased secondary sales volume, unique buyers, and sellers. 

However, stablecoin transfers and GameFi experienced declines in volume. The report suggests that newer applications on BSC may have influenced the growth of unique buyers and sellers in the NFT sector.

Ultimately, the Messari report provides insights into the separation of BNB Chain from Binance and the challenges faced by Binance and its associated entities during the third quarter of 2023. 

Despite these challenges, BNB Chain maintained its market capitalization and continued to launch new products and implement technical upgrades. The report highlights the need for market recognition of the separation between BNB Chain and Binance and the impact of adverse events on BNB Chain’s on-chain activity.

BNB Chain

On the other hand, BNB has experienced a prolonged downtrend since reaching its annual peak of $350 in April. Subsequently, the token plummeted to $202 on October 9. 

However, recent developments have resulted in a positive trend, with BNB recording a profit of 5.2% in the past 14 days and 1.8% in the last 30 days. As a result, the current trading price of BNB stands at $223.

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com 

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Binance Founder CZ’s Fortunes Plummet By $12 Billion Amidst Downturn in Crypto Trading

Changpeng Zhao, widely known as CZ and the founder of Binance, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges, has suffered a significant blow to his fortune. According to a recent Bloomberg report, CZ’s wealth plummeted by $12 billion due to the ongoing slump in crypto-trading activities. 

Per the report, this decline was primarily attributed to a sharp drop in trading volumes at Binance throughout the year.

CZ’s Financial Losses

The Bloomberg Billionaires Index revised its revenue estimates for Binance, slashing it by 38% after data revealed a decline in trading volumes at the exchange. As a result, CZ’s net worth now stands at $17.2 billion, marking a significant reduction from his previous valuation.

According to Bloomberg, CZ’s involvement in recent events that led to the bankruptcy filing of FTX further impacted his financial situation. In November, CZ announced the liquidation of a token linked to FTX (FTT) after reports emerged that Alameda Research, the hedge fund owned by Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of FTX, held a large position in it. 

The announcement triggered a rush among FTX customers to withdraw funds, overwhelming the exchange’s infrastructure. As a consequence, FTX declared bankruptcy within a week, erasing Bankman-Fried’s fortune, which had peaked at $26 billion in March the previous year.

To estimate Binance’s revenue, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index relies on spot and derivatives trading data from crypto-tracking services Coingecko and Coinpaprika. 

Binance had witnessed a significant gain in market share earlier this year, reaching 62% of total on-exchange crypto trades during the first quarter. However, after a promotional zero-fee period for popular trading pairs ended, Binance’s market share slid to 51% by the end of the third quarter, as reported by research firm CCData.

Binance Value Plunges As Lawsuits And Allegations Take A Toll

Binance has also faced increasing regulatory scrutiny, isolating itself from the traditional financial system. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a lawsuit against Binance in June, accusing the exchange of violating regulations. 

Earlier this year, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) also took legal action against Binance for non-compliance with rules that allowed US users to access the platform. 

Allegations against Binance include inadequate money-laundering controls, inflated trading volumes, and mishandling of client assets. Binance has strongly disputed these claims and is currently contesting them in court. 

In June, Bloomberg’s wealth index reduced the value of Binance’s US exchange to zero after it announced the discontinuation of dollar transactions, resulting in a significant decline in trading volumes. 

Binance.US had previously been valued at $4.7 billion during a funding round in March 2022, while CZ’s net worth peaked at $96 billion in January.

The challenges faced by Binance are not unique, as regulatory uncertainties and rising interest rates have made alternative investments more appealing. Coinbase Global, another leading cryptocurrency exchange, experienced a 52% decline in spot trading volume in the third quarter compared to the previous year, according to Bloomberg. 

Binance

Despite the personal wealth challenges CZ faces, Binance Coin (BNB) has capitalized on the overall market recovery, showcasing substantial gains across various time frames. Currently, the token is trading at $225.2, maintaining its upward trend with a 2.2% increase over the past 24 hours.

Furthermore, BNB has demonstrated significant gains of 5.8%, 9.6%, and 6.1% over the seven, fourteen, and thirty-day time frames, respectively. These positive trends highlight the token’s strong performance in recent weeks.

Featured image from Binance, chart from TradingView.com 

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Binance And Tether Accused By Lawmakers: DOJ Investigation Requested For Illicit Finance

In a recent development, US lawmakers have urged the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to initiate a criminal investigation into cryptocurrency exchange Binance (BNB) and stablecoin issuer Tether (USDT). 

The lawmakers, led by Senator Cynthia Lummis, reference a controversial Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report that alleges Hamas and its affiliate raised significant funds through cryptocurrencies. 

Binance And Tether Face Calls For Criminal Charges

In a joint letter signed by Senator Lummis and Representative French Hill, the lawmakers express deep concern over reports indicating that “unregulated crypto intermediaries” outside the United States have allegedly facilitated illicit financial activities, including financing terrorism, such as Hamas’s attacks on Israel.

Lummis and Hill urged the DOJ to promptly reach a charging decision regarding Binance, considering the extent of its involvement, and to conclude the ongoing investigation into Tether’s alleged illicit activities.

The lawmakers refer to the WSJ report of October 10, 2023, which disclosed that Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah had received cryptocurrency funding since August 2021. They stress the DOJ’s need to hold any entities facilitating illicit activities accountable. The letter further reads: 

We believe that it’s imperative that the Department of Justice hold bad actors accountable if they are shown to facilitate illicit activity. Binance, notably, is an unregulated crypto asset exchange based in the Seychelles and Cayman Islands. Binance has historically been linked to illicit activity and is purportedly the subject of a current Department of Justice investigation.

On the other hand, Tether faced a fine by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in 2021 for issues related to backing its stablecoin USDT. 

The lawmakers urged the DOJ to thoroughly assess whether Binance and Tether have provided material support and resources for terrorism by violating applicable sanctions laws and the Bank Secrecy Act. Lummis and Hill emphasize the importance of swift action to cut off funding sources for terrorists targeting Israel.

Tether Counters Allegations

In response to Senator Lummis and Rep. Hill’s claims, Tether issued a statement addressing the “misinformation” surrounding the potential misuse of cryptocurrencies. 

Tether references independent investigations by Chainalysis and Elliptic, which found significant errors and faulty attribution techniques in reports, including the WSJ’s article. 

Tether emphasizes its commitment to regulatory compliance, due diligence, and global collaboration with law enforcement agencies. They highlight their track record of freezing assets tied to illicit activities and assert no evidence of sanctions law or Bank Secrecy Act violations.

Tether further notes the inherent transparency of blockchain technology and the proactive measures taken by virtual asset service providers to monitor and report potentially illicit activities. 

They reaffirm their dedication to transparency, compliance, and collaboration with authorities, inviting constructive dialogue and cooperation.

As the call for a DOJ investigation unfolds, the cryptocurrency community awaits further developments and the potential impact on Binance and Tether’s operations.

Binance

As of this writing, BNB is trading at $221, representing a decrease of 0.9% within the last 24 hours. However, it is worth noting that the token has experienced significant gains over the past seven and thirty days, amounting to 5.3% and 4.9%, respectively.

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com 

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Binance Faces Scrutiny Over Alleged ICO Missteps And Token Distribution Discrepancies

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, is currently grappling with challenges that have raised concerns about its credibility and market performance. 

Recent reports by Forbes shed light on Binance’s initial coin offering (ICO) and the subsequent distribution of its native cryptocurrency, Binance Coin (BNB). 

Behind The Curtain

The investigation reveals allegations of undisclosed token retention, discrepancies in the ICO process, and the accumulation of a significant token reserve by Binance. 

Per the report, in June 2017, Binance initiated its ICO, aiming to raise $15 million by selling 100 million BNB tokens. However, the Forbes investigation, conducted with the assistance of crypto forensic firms, suggests that only around 10.78 million BNB tokens were transferred to investors during the ICO. 

An additional 20 million tokens were “quietly” allocated to angel investors, doubling their initial allocation to 40 million tokens. Consequently, according to Forbes, Binance likely raised less than $5 million during the ICO, contrary to the $15 million claimed by founder Changpeng Zhao. 

The Forbes report indicates that Binance’s white paper did not disclose the company’s plans for unsold tokens in the event of an undersold ICO. While it is not illegal for issuers to retain unsold tokens, transparency is crucial in such cases, Forbes alleges. 

Binance founders and insiders reportedly ended up with 145 million BNB tokens instead of the originally planned 80 million. These tokens, initially valued at less than $10 million, are now estimated to be worth approximately $14 billion.

Furthermore, Binance implemented a token buyback and burn program to reduce the total supply of BNB tokens over time. 

According to Binance’s website, approximately 48 million tokens have been burned as of August 31, 2023. However, Forbes suggests that Binance controls nearly 117 million tokens, accounting for 76% of the total outstanding supply. 

The analysis combines disclosed tokens issued to the founding team with a proprietary probabilistic analysis that identifies previously undisclosed wallets holding customer funds and serving other corporate purposes.

Forbes concludes discrepancies and lack of transparency surrounding Binance’s ICO and token distribution raise questions about the integrity of reported trading volumes and the adequacy of consumer protections. 

Binance CEO Maintains Silence Amid Ongoing Forbes Allegations 

Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the Chief Executive Officer of Binance, has remained silent in the face of recent allegations and ongoing investigations brought forth by Forbes. 

The prolonged exchange of statements between the cryptocurrency firm and the renowned news outlet has endured for a significant period. Binance had taken legal action against Forbes in 2020, filing a defamation lawsuit in the US District Court in New Jersey. 

The lawsuit stemmed from Forbes’ publication of “false statements” that Binance allegedly used deceptive practices to deceive regulators and participated in money laundering activities.

Forbes published a series of articles that made damaging claims about Binance’s corporate structure, asserting that it was deliberately designed to deceive regulators and engaged in activities characteristic of money laundering. Binance vehemently denied these allegations, deeming them false and highly defamatory. 

Binance’s attorney, Charles J. Harder, has emphasized the harm caused to Binance’s reputation by Forbes’ misleading story. Binance had requested a retraction or correction from Forbes, which was refused, leading to the necessity of the defamation lawsuit. 

Overall, Binance and Forbes have been embroiled in contentious claims and disputes, with both parties accusing each other of disseminating inaccurate information. 

As the situation unfolds, it remains uncertain how the cryptocurrency exchange will respond to the latest allegations put forth by Forbes.

Binance

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com

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CZ Breaks Silence, Refutes Binance’s Bitcoin Dumping Allegations To Safeguard BNB

In response to mounting speculation and accusations circulating within the crypto community, Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) has addressed allegations of a significant sell-off of Bitcoin (BTC) by Binance. These allegations have been linked to a 7% BTC price drop. 

CZ took to Twitter to respond, reposting a thread by a user named ZkHopium, who provided a detailed analysis debunking the claims and highlighting the fundamental basis of the situation.

CZ Debunks Allegations Of Bitcoin Dumping

The thread by ZkHopium sheds light on the events surrounding the Binance Coin (BNB) liquidation on Venus Protocol. It explains that the exploit occurred on October 6th, 2022, on the Binance Smart Chain (BSC), creating 2 million BNB. 

Of this amount, 900,000 BNB were deposited on Venus Protocol to borrow approximately $150 million worth of USDT and USDC. In response, the BNB chain burned more than 2 million BNB, equivalent to around $550 million at the time, effectively removing these tokens from circulation.

To facilitate the liquidation process, Venus Protocol passed a governance proposal, designating BNB Chain as the sole liquidator for the loan. BNB Chain then funded the liquidator’s wallet with 30 million BUSD in December 2022, an additional 30 million USDT in June 2023, and another 30 million USDT on August 21, 2023.

The liquidation mechanism of Venus Protocol involves a collateral factor or liquidation threshold. When triggered, liquidators can gradually liquidate up to 50% of the collateral, receiving an additional 10% worth of liquidated collateral as fees. 

ZkHopium’s analysis highlights several significant factors that make this case unique. Firstly, only one liquidator is not incentivized to engage in market dumping. Secondly, the liquidations are performed manually, without the involvement of bots front-running the process. 

Lastly, given the substantial loan size, the liquidation tranches are expected to be much lower than the 50% threshold.

Addressing the allegations, CZ expressed his appreciation for the detailed research presented by ZkHopium and emphasized the “insignificance” of a $30 million liquidation’s impact on Bitcoin’s price. 

CZ stated that Binance does not issue BTC and that most rewards are given in BNB. He highlighted that the alleged fear of a significant BTC price impact is unfounded, as $30 million represents less than 0.001% of BTC’s daily trading volume.

Bitcoin

At the time of writing, BNB is trading at $217, as the chart above indicates. However, it has experienced a marginal decline of 0.2% over the past 24 hours.

BTC Hovers Around $26,000 Amid Minor Dip

The largest cryptocurrency in the market by market cap, Bitcoin, currently valued at $26,000, has remained relatively stagnant, experiencing a decline of 2.4% after briefly touching the $26,700 mark. 

Despite the current low levels of volatility, Keith Alan, co-founder of the research and analysis firm Material Indicators, has noted the following regarding the market situation: 

Economic reports released this morning did not significantly impact volatility; however, they will contribute to the narrative influenced by Jerome Powell’s upcoming speech at Jackson Hole on Friday.

As anticipation builds for Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s comments at the Jackson Hole Symposium, the Bitcoin market is beginning to show signs of increased activity.

Keith Alan suggests that the economic reports, although not immediately affecting volatility, will shape Powell’s narrative during his speech. 

This anticipation will likely lead to heightened volatility as the BTC market approaches the weekend. Traders and investors are bracing themselves for potential market fluctuations as Powell’s speech unfolds, with the expectation that his statements could significantly impact the cryptocurrency market.

Bitcoin

Featured image from iStock, chart from TradingView.com

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Binance CEO Shares Details Of $20 Million Scam Attempt

Binance CEO, Changpeng ‘CZ’ Zhao has recently provided details on a failed $20 million scam attempt in a bid to keep the crypto community on alert for future occurrences.

Crypto Scammers Are “So Good Now,” Binance CEO Says

In a tweet on August 2, Changpeng Zhao described a recent scam attempt as “clever,” stating that it was “luckily” prevented as the bad actors in the crypto space seem to have gotten better. 

Related Reading: Curve DAO (CRV) Price Recovery Post-Exploit: What Would Be A Realistic Scenario?

Specifically, the Binance CEO drew attention to how these scammers now generate addresses with identical starting and ending letters as other wallet addresses.

Using these new addresses, they then proceed to impersonate other network participants and swindle unsuspecting crypto users. Technically, these kinds of scams are referred to as  “zero-transfer phishing attacks.”

Changpeng Zhao noted that these scams are particularly effective as most crypto users only confirm the first and last characters of an address when conducting transactions.

In fact, he stated that most wallet designs exclude the middle parts of addresses in an attempt to offer a better user interface to users

Asides from creating similar wallet addresses, the Binance CEO mentioned that these scammers would send “dust transactions” so they could be registered in their targets’ transaction history.

To explain, dust refers to a minute amount of cryptocurrency, usually valued at less than a cent, and cannot be traded on any exchange. 

With the scammer’s address now present in their target’s transaction history, one can unknowingly transfer assets to these bad actors, especially if the impersonated address is one they constantly transact with.

 

Binance CEO

Fast Response Helped Thwart Zero-Transfer Phishing Attack

Changpeng Zhao stated that a zero phishing attack happened to a veteran crypto operator on Aug 1 in which they transferred $20 million worth of USDT to the wrong address.

For context, the original wallet address was 0xa7Bf48749D2E4aA29e3209879956b9bAa9E90570, while the phishing address was 0xa7B4BAC8f0f9692e56750aEFB5f6cB5516E90570.

Luckily, the operator detected the scam quickly, and Binance was able to officially request for Tether to freeze the stolen USDT. The stablecoin operator responded promptly by blacklisting the wallet to prevent any further deposit or withdrawal. 

Related Reading: Ethereum DeFi Coins Plunge As Curve Concerns Threaten Major Market Crash

The Binance CEO rounded off his tweet by stating that a fast reaction was vital to reclaiming users’ funds in these kinds of attacks. However, he did state that the assets recovery may take some time as the sender would have to complete a number of processes, including submitting a police report. 

It is no news that the crypto space is riddled with heists, scams, and attacks which result in the loss of millions of dollars yearly. And these crypto scams are considered one of the major plagues in the crypto space.

According to data from Certik Security, crypto scams and hacks claimed over $313 million in just Q2 2023 alone. Another report from TRM Labs in June 2023 said that over $9 billion was lost to various scams and frauds in 2022. A huge portion (around $7.8 billion) of this figure was lost to Ponzi schemes alone, TRM added. 

Featured image from Binance, chart from Tradingview

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Is Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao To Blame For FTX Collapse?

In the space of one week, FTX had gone from being the second-largest crypto exchange by trading volume to being bankrupt. This swift move from being ‘okay’ to being in ‘hot water’ has shown just how uncertain things can be in the crypto market. Since it happened, there has been some finger-pointing as participants in the space look for someone to blame, and some of those fingers have been pointed at Changpeng Zhao.

Is CZ The Cause?

The bank run on the FTX crypto exchange had actually started when Binance CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao made it public that the exchange was planning to sell its FTT holdings. What would follow was a rollercoaster couple of days that would end in a bankruptcy filing on the part of FTX. But the question remains, did CZ really cause this?

At first glance, it would look as if CZ had actually intended to trigger a bank run on FTX, especially given their public Twitter beef. However, with recent developments, the only thing that could be remotely true is that CZ had accelerated an inevitable collapse.

With an around $9 billion hole, there were bound to be issues with the company sooner or later. Add in the fact that there were already red flags such as Sam Bankman-Fried trying to raise more funds for the exchange and Alameda hemorrhaging money, the die was already cast.

As for CZ, the decision to sell FTT tokens was always a double-edged sword. Yes, the CEO could have quietly sold the tokens but it would have eventually been made public and Binance would be accused of dumping on retail secretly. The second option, which was to openly sell the tokens, was just the last nail in the coffin for an already dying FTX. It was a lose-lose situation.

FTX Token price chart from TradingView.com

FTX Not Doing Any Favors

The newly appointed CEO of FTX, John Ray III has already gone to work and the findings have been nothing short of catastrophic. Ray, who had helped energy trader Enron navigate bankruptcy in the early 2000s would go on to say that he had never seen anything like FTX in his career. The level of incompetency at the crypto exchange apparently shocked the Wall Street lawyer so much that he tagged it ‘unprecendented.’

As more information about FTX emerges, it is not hard to see why Ray would say that. From house-buying sprees for FTX employees to executives taking personal loans worth billions of dollars from Alameda Research, how FTX was run is nothing short of a fraudulent company.

Currently, there are reportedly more than 1 million creditors who have been unable to get their funds from FTX. The billions of dollars are nowhere to be found as the exchange enters into full bankruptcy mode. It has also drastically reduced trust in the crypto market. Self-custody is now more popular than ever as investors scramble to put their coins in cold storage.

Featured image from Bloomberg, chart from TradingView.com

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Bitcoin May Not Reclaim All-Time High For Another Two Years, Binance CEO

Bitcoin has recovered above $20,000 but since then, there has not been any significant upward movement. This has led to speculations on whether the digital asset would be able to reclaim its all-time high in the near future. Binance CEO, Changpeng Zhao, has weighed in and shared his thoughts on this debate, and according to the CEO, such recovery should not be expected anytime soon.

Another Couple Of Years For ATH

In a recent report, the CEO of the world’s largest crypto exchange Binance has shared some rather bearish sentiments for the short-term for bitcoin. The digital asset which had touched $69,000 in November last year has been unable to recover to that point and Zhao has explained that such recovery will not be taking place anytime soon.

Related Reading | Bitcoin Miner Liquidations Threaten Bitcoin’s Recovery

The exchange founder said that after dropping so much from its all-time high, it would take some time for the market to see such prices again. “I think given this price drop, from the all-time high of 68k to 20k now, it will probably take a while to get back,” the CEO said. “It probably will take a few months or a couple of years.”

However, it is not all grim given that the price today would have been highly welcomed four years ago, the founder said. An example is when bitcoin had reached its peak last cycle, almost touching $20,000. Investors had rejoiced at this price before the market had retraced into a bear market.

“20k we think is very low today. But you know, in 2018, 2019, if you told people bitcoin will be 20k in 2022, they would be very happy. In 2018/19, bitcoin was $3,000, $6,000.”

BTC starts another recovery trend | Source: BTCUSD on TradingView.com
Bitcoin On The Charts

The cryptocurrency Bitcoin has been on the rise lately. After touching as low as $17,600, the current price point has provided a much-needed reprieve for investors. However, as the market is balancing out, more bearish indicators are beginning to emerge.

Related Reading | Low Bitcoin Prices Trigger Inflows, But Investor Sentiment Remains Weak

Confidence in bitcoin has dropped over the last couple of weeks as investor sentiment had taken a massive blow. Additionally, bitcoin had gone on to close another week in the red, marking more red closes so far for the year than green closes. As such, it has given bears a stronger hold over the market, especially in the short term.

The sell-offs which continue to rock the market still threaten its position above $20,000. As such, it has been unsuccessful when trying to break the $21,2176 resistance point. However, there is support brewing at the $20,090 level, showing that bulls do not plan to go down without a fight.

Featured image from CNBC, chart from TradingView.com

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