The commission now has access to all of the exchange’s records, which could serve as a catalyst for uncovering additional instances of mishandled funds or suspected fraudulent activities. The recent news of Binance’s former CEO pleading guilty to money laundering charges has undoubtedly made headlines, adding to the circumstances that led to his decision to resign as CEO. A settlement was reached to resolve this matter, resulting in a $50 million fine imposed on CZ (the former CEO) and a...
Read More »Crypto Market Sees Uptick on Prospects of Binance’s Resolution with DoJ
The potential resolution of the US criminal investigation into Binance marks a critical juncture for the crypto industry. If Binance agrees to the proposed fine, it would represent one of the largest settlements in the history of the crypto market. The crypto market experienced a surge of cautious optimism as reports emerged regarding the possible resolution of Binance’s longstanding US criminal investigation with the United States Department of Justice (DoJ). Binance’s Reported...
Read More »Former SEC General Counsel Denies Regulatory Discord Between Agency and CFTC in Crypto Oversight
The United States has persistently stumbled in delivering clear regulatory guidance for digital assets. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) presides over instruments and assets deemed as securities, while the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) regulates the trading of derivatives on commodities. This landscape leaves a regulatory gap for digital assets that defy the categorization of securities or commodity-based derivatives. Amid this regulatory chaos,...
Read More »Opyn Co-Founders Step Down Amid Regulatory Pressures
The co-founders of Opyn, a prominent DeFi options protocol, have announced their departure from the company and the crypto industry. This decision comes in the wake of charges filed against Opyn by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in September. Opyn’s Co-founders Announce Departure from Crypto Opyn co-founders CEO Zubin Koticha and Alexis Gauba recently announced their departure from the crypto world. Koticha, in a post on X, stated, “After the regulatory...
Read More »Crypto Is Back in a Bull Market – But Not in The Way You Think
Crypto returned to the limelight of financial markets in 2023 – but for a reason less flattering than skyrocketing crypto prices. A new report from the Commodities and Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) shows that crypto-related charges accounted for over half of the agency’s total enforcement actions this year. Cracking Down on Crypto In its 2023 enforcement results report, the CFTC said it “brought 47 actions involving conduct related to digital asset commodities,”...
Read More »CME Tops Binance, Holds Largest Bitcoin Futures Open Interest
CME’s rise to the top suggests increasing institutional interest as the platform is a favorite among large traditional financial institutions. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) has surpassed Binance as the exchange with the largest Bitcoin futures open interest (OI) for only the second time in history. The first time was over two years ago. At the time, strong investor appetite after the launch of ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF increased Bitcoin (BTC) Futures trading on the exchange....
Read More »US Senator Introduces Bill for ‘Keep Your Coins Act’ to Senate to Promote Self-Custody of Crypto Assets
The bill, if passed, will prevent undue government interference in the crypto sector, and also support self-custody wallets. A new crypto bill has been introduced to the United States Senate to give crypto holders more power over their assets. Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) introduced the “Keep Your Coins Act” to the 118th Congress on Tuesday. The new bill aims to let crypto holders maintain full custody of their assets without the need for any middlemen or third parties, including cryptocurrency...
Read More »Binance CEO Teases Major Announcement amid Crypto Market Turbulence
This impending Binance announcement arrives just days after a substantial transfer of 10,000 BTC, valued at over $345 million, to the exchange from an anonymous wallet. In a cryptic post on X, Changpeng ‘CZ’ Zhao, the CEO of Binance, recently sparked the curiosity of the crypto community by simply posting the number “3” and an announcement with a video captioned “COMING SOON”. 3 👀 pic.twitter.com/mp4SOcBbXY — CZ 🔶 Binance (@cz_binance) November 6, 2023 Binance Announcement amid...
Read More »Changpeng Zhao Loses Another $12B of His Fortune amid Regulatory Scrutiny
Zhao’s woes and those that are related to his exchange have been largely a result of the ongoing lawsuits against them. Binance co-founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao continues to see his fortune slashed after he reportedly lost another $11.9 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. This brings his total fortune loss from the January 2022 peak of $97 billion to around $80 billion. Zhao Is Losing His Wealth, Here’s Why As of publication, Zhao’s crypto empire is now worth a measly...
Read More »Top Crypto Firms Refer to ‘Major Questions’ Doctrine in Legal Battle with Regulators
Crypto firms have been using the “major questions” doctrine to defends themselves against the enforcement actions of the regulations. However, it has its own flaws in place. Over the last year, multiple firms in the crypto space have engaged with regulators on different issues. These companies have been boldly questioning the regulatory stands against crypto firms. In order to curb the “government overreach”, a major question doctrine recently established a legal precedent. Typically,...
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