Binance crisis - how will it affect the crypto market?

[Gozie51]

- The media reported about layoffs at Binance. Bitcoin exchange Binance has begun laying off staff. Presumably, the percentage of laid-off staff will be 20%, reported reporter Colin Wu, citing his own sources.

The cryptocurrency market is a sensitive one and investors quickly react by such information.  The layoffs is surely a sign that business is either closing up or being restructured. The regulation in Canada that binance couldn't meet up with automatically means some workers would be relieved of duty since the service is not needed in Canada for now just with what happen in coinbase losing almost 900 employees. Laying off employees is reasonable but it will create understable panic and we have seen the effect on the market. Yesterday bitcoin lost more than $2,000.

- The world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, has lost a quarter of its market share in the past three months as a U.S. regulator prosecutes it for allegedly violating U.S. federal laws. In February, New York regulators shut down Binance-branded Stablecoin issuance.

- The SEC has sued Binance and Changpeng Zhao. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sued bitcoin exchange Binance and its CEO Changpeng Zhao.
The U.S. regulator brought 13 charges, including unregistered offers and sales of BNB and BUSD tokens, Simple Earn and BNB Vault products and stacking.
The suit also alleges that Binance failed to register its Binance.com platform as an exchange, broker-dealer or clearing agency, as did the U.S. unit. Zhao was sued as a "controlling person."

These are very much heavy allegations that is capable of pulling the trust of binance of the rug. Investors confidence is required in  crypto exchange especially cex

- In your opinion, is this a consequence of increased pressure on China by the U.S.?

I don't think this is about China. If binance have compromised then sec has all legal means to go after them to protect investors.

[wajik-tempe]

It is impossible to anticipate the impact on the crypto market and consumers with precision. In the near term, unfavorable news surrounding a popular exchange such as Binance might contribute to a drop in market confidence and perhaps lead to market volatility. While Long-term, regulatory efforts and greater compliance procedures may result in beneficial developments for the cryptocurrency sector. However, the long-term impact on the crypto market and consumers will be determined by how the regulatory landscape evolves, Binance's measures to resolve the charges, and the responses of other industry participants.

[mvdheuvel1983]

These and many other negative news stories, about the world's largest exchange, have been in the air for months. Question:
- In your opinion, is this a consequence of increased pressure on China by the U.S.?
- What will the problems of Binance lead to for crypto market and crypto users?

I may not or may not be able to answer your question directly but would like to note some few things from the allegations. We have all read the news first it was Binance and today Coinbase. I see this as witch-hunting and a precursor to crypto regulation. Did Binance and Coinbase actually break the rules? I have yet to see any statement from them. If this is actually true then I am really pissed that they weren't so meticulous in learning and obeying the laws in other countries. There is no cause for alarm or any need to panic by the news, bitcoin, Binance and Coinbase will survive this.

[DrBeer]

These and many other negative news stories, about the world's largest exchange, have been in the air for months. Question:
- In your opinion, is this a consequence of increased pressure on China by the U.S.?
- What will the problems of Binance lead to for crypto market and crypto users?

I may not or may not be able to answer your question directly but would like to note some few things from the allegations. We have all read the news first it was Binance and today Coinbase. I see this as witch-hunting and a precursor to crypto regulation. Did Binance and Coinbase actually break the rules? I have yet to see any statement from them. If this is actually true then I am really pissed that they weren't so meticulous in learning and obeying the laws in other countries. There is no cause for alarm or any need to panic by the news, bitcoin, Binance and Coinbase will survive this.

As they say, "there is no smoke without fire. And there have already been many claims to Binance, from attempts not to comply with U.S. law, to assistance in financing the Russians associated with international terrorism and the unleashed war in Ukraine. Seysa has made additional accusations, and clearly not from nothing. China is trying hard to show itself as the "second pole of the world", which will not do the bidding of the "first pole of the world. Especially in such a delicate subject as the alternative financial system, i.e. cryptocurrencies. How this will end is not entirely clear. For example, I am worried about the risk of possible blocking of the exchange and freezing of funds stored there, with the subsequent multi-year process of proving that my funds are "clean before the law". And this variant of the situation is not excluded...

[Blowon]

some people take this moment to buy BNB because they are very good at taking advantage of the news. well unfortunately this is just momentum, for those who have bought but they hold it for a long time I think they will actually spend their own assets. As for how Binance will go forward, I don't think I can say for sure whether Binance will lose to this rumor or will actually make Binance rise in the future.

[bittraffic]

These and many other negative news stories, about the world's largest exchange, have been in the air for months. Question:
- In your opinion, is this a consequence of increased pressure on China by the U.S.?
- What will the problems of Binance lead to for crypto market and crypto users?

I wouldn't be surprise its one side of a story as there is a growing tension between the 2 superpower from tech war, economic war and the build up on South China Sea.

We already felt the problem over night because of the prices. But this could just be for the media though. Binance being targetted for a long time has already seen this coming I pressume.

[southerngentuk]

It is true that the SEC lawsuit against Binance has had an impact on the crypto space. Anyhow, the allegations against Binance and CEO CZ remain unproven. Therefore, the principle of presumption of innocence must be maintained until a legal process is completed and a verdict is rendered. Although the lawsuit against the major players in the crypto industry could have a short-term impact on market sentiment and confidence, Leads to increased volatility and caution among market participants. But as the legal process unfolds, it will likely become clearer about the allegations and their potential impact on Binance and the broader crypto market.

[Sayeds56]

- The SEC has sued Binance and Changpeng Zhao. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sued bitcoin exchange Binance and its CEO Changpeng Zhao.
These and many other negative news stories, about the world's largest exchange, have been in the air for months. Question:
- What will the problems of Binance lead to for crypto market and crypto users?

While the allegations of violating the rules are quite serious and weighty against Binance and its founder CZ (Changpeng Zhao). Nevertheless, it is important to recognize that Binance is a leading crypto currencies exchange with robust and professional legal team. They will certainly take all necessary measures to defend their position effectively in the court and do all what they can to survive this crisis. I am optimistic that the outcome of this lawsuit will be in favor of Binance , as potential closure of their business in USA will have far reaching consequences, not only Binance but  for the entire crypto currencies market.

[slapper]

It's absolutely riveting to discuss the recent issues that Binance, the behemoth of cryptocurrency exchanges, has encountered. The internal restructuring and layoffs are certainly disconcerting, yet not entirely surprising given the tumultuous crypto landscape. Now, do we consider this a result of US pressure on China? I think we might be oversimplifying the issue if we do so.

The legal troubles Binance is facing are largely a product of their own making - they have allegedly breached the US federal laws. This isn't about geopolitics; it's about business ethics and regulatory compliance.

Should Binance's missteps cause us to fear for the crypto market as a whole? Possibly, but only in the short term. A market shakeup could indeed unsettle crypto users, especially those heavily reliant on Binance. However, the crypto space is adaptive. Alternative exchanges may rise, fostering healthy competition and potentially leading to a more resilient market.

[Kakmakr]

I can tell you one thing, it does not grow confidence amongst potential investors, when the government goes after one of the biggest centralized Crypto exchanges, but we know these centralized services are easy targets for governments to attack.

This event is just a new warning to people who rely on these centralized services and a good wake up call for them to take control of their own Private keys. (Not your keys, not your coins) 

[DrBeer]

- In your opinion, is this a consequence of increased pressure on China by the U.S.?
- What will the problems of Binance lead to for crypto market and crypto users?

Nope, CZ gets sued because he broke some rules and regulations, not because he's Chinese.
There will be crypto price drops and a bearish wave, but who cares. The crypto market survived FTX, I'm sure that it will survive any turbulence caused by the lawsuits against CZ and/or Binance. The BTC price recovered pretty fast after the FTX drama(around three months), I'm sure that Bitcoin is still capable of getting thru a bullish phase by the end of 2023(even though I expect the real bull run to hit somewhere around the second half of 2024).

The question is not whether he was Chinese or not. The question is specifically about the business that finances the Chinese budget, or is directly controlled by the Chinese government. Let's not hide it, but now there is an active confrontation between the U.S. and China, plus the state (China) is increasingly, by soft or hard methods, gaining influence or control, yesterday's private Chinese companies...
The second problem - the U.S. is trying to regulate the crypto market by law (there are many reasons), while China, on the one hand, "clamps down" on the use of cryptocurrency for local population, but tries to use cryptocurrencies for external "consumers", and first of all for countries that are under sanctions or managed by "not the best guys".

[SyndicateLabs]

I see more money is pouring into DEX, maybe people are worried about the news these days related to SEC and Binance US as well as CoinBase. For me, the fact that this information has affected everyone's general investment sentiment, after a series of rather gloomy days, we continue to come with unhappy information from quite influential parties in this field. Although the price is currently recovering a bit, but I think the controversy will continue to unfold when it is really resolved.

[Smartprofit]

It's absolutely riveting to discuss the recent issues that Binance, the behemoth of cryptocurrency exchanges, has encountered. The internal restructuring and layoffs are certainly disconcerting, yet not entirely surprising given the tumultuous crypto landscape. Now, do we consider this a result of US pressure on China? I think we might be oversimplifying the issue if we do so.

The legal troubles Binance is facing are largely a product of their own making - they have allegedly breached the US federal laws. This isn't about geopolitics; it's about business ethics and regulatory compliance.

Should Binance's missteps cause us to fear for the crypto market as a whole? Possibly, but only in the short term. A market shakeup could indeed unsettle crypto users, especially those heavily reliant on Binance. However, the crypto space is adaptive. Alternative exchanges may rise, fostering healthy competition and potentially leading to a more resilient market.

Charles Hoskinson (founder and chief strategist of the cryptocurrency project Ada (Cardano)) expressed his opinion on the reasons for the SEC attack on the Binance cryptocurrency exchange.  He believes that those in power (one of the instruments of influence of which is precisely the SEC) consider cryptocurrencies to be absolutely unnecessary and harmful financial assets.  

Cryptocurrencies are the last obstacle on the way to the introduction of digital currencies of central banks (which, in turn, aims to build a digital concentration camp for all Humanity).  

This opinion of Charles Hoskinson is confirmed by the recent words of the head of the SEC, Gary Gensler.  He stated that he sees no point in the existence of cryptocurrencies, since there are already such fiat currencies as the US dollar, euro, Japanese yen, etc.

And they already exist in digital form.... This, in my opinion, is a direct allusion to CBDC.

[Husires]

We are talking so far about legal violations of US SEC and not the international global Binance. Users who lost their money or the possibility of confiscating the platform have not been reported. All that ends up is compliance with legislation or more regulatory restrictions or fines will be imposed. Therefore, I do not see it as negative news that you should interact with. With negative news.

Do not forget that during the past months, cryptocurrencies began to interact positively with all the regulatory news, we may see a rise in the price as more regulatory restrictions mean that it has become difficult for binance to escape with clients’ money or manipulate prices as more eyes will monitor it.

[so98nn]

I compare these sort of incidences with the start of new era for Bitcoin. They give shocks to the Bitcoin economy, bring down the prices and creates some sort of FUD. However, it forms amazing opportunity for the new investors and existing one who has missed the discounted purchases. I think it’s time to jump in and buy more.

However, this is time when we should not be holding our Bitcoins on the exchangers anymore. It does not matter if worlds biggest exchange is falling apart or government ain’t giving shit about it. All we have to do it create strong resistance through Bitcoin HODLING in our WALLETS.

[Porfirii]

- What will the problems of Binance lead to for crypto market and crypto users?

I guess more with the market manipulation. Because with such news we have already seen how quick the market has reacted. Other than that, it's more with their exchange and trust issues whether their users will be quick to withdraw their funds just as seeing the news that CZ/binance has been sued.

I don't know: I think that most users won't move a finger. But I hope the latest news (summarised in the OP) help uneducated people be aware about the risks they are assuming because of holding their funds in a custodial wallet property of a centralised exchange.

With time, more and more people will end up being aware, but it's clear that things grind slowly in this regard, for the benefit of giants like the aforementioned.

[Sayeds56]

some people take this moment to buy BNB because they are very good at taking advantage of the news. well unfortunately this is just momentum, for those who have bought but they hold it for a long time I think they will actually spend their own assets. As for how Binance will go forward, I don't think I can say for sure whether Binance will lose to this rumor or will actually make Binance rise in the future.

In the light  of current lawsuit brought by SEC against Binance, it to important to recognize that these allegation of violating the rules are serious. Consequently, it would be highly risk to invest in BNB coin at this stage. As resolution of this dispute remains uncertain and it might take long time before final verdict reached. Therefore, individuals welling to buy BNB, coin should carefully evaluate their risk tolerance level, as well as safeguard your investment by using stop-loss.

[DrBeer]

The SEC has filed a petition to freeze the assets of Binance US. The situation around the cryptocurrency exchange Binance continues to heat up, with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) asking a court for permission to freeze assets, including cryptocurrencies, associated with the US branch of the Binance US platform a few hours ago.

The petition seeks an asset freeze on assets associated with BAM Management US Holdings and BAM Trading Services, the holding and operating companies of Binance US, as well as relief for customer fiat and cryptocurrency assets held on the platform. The order covers dozens of accounts held at Axos Bank, defunct Silvergate Bank, Prime Trust and other institutions.

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67474542/4/securities-and-exchange-commission-v-binance-holdings-limited/

[rat03gopoh]

It's bad for the crypto market that the world's largest exchange is associated with such incidents.

I don't think its bad at all. Binance is a middleman and middlemans are not necessary. It is known not to leave much money in exchanges, too many exchanges have folded. While Binance broadens the crypto scene it also puts an emphasis on trading. Trading is not crypto.  

On a broader perspective it's bad. The distribution of the supply of almost all cryptocurrencies is more concentrated on centralized exchanges, in general, the utilization of crypto fluctuations is still the main reason for users. Which means, people haven't really been tempted to use crypto in real life despite its brilliant utilities.

[Smartprofit]

It is believed that Binance, Coinbase and Tether are the three basic pillars of the modern crypto industry. 

They can be compared with three whales, on which (according to the ideas of ancient people) the planet Earth lay.  We are now seeing a regulatory attack on at least two of these three whales (on Binance and Coinbase). 

All this can have long-term negative consequences for the entire crypto industry.  The price of Bitcoin is not falling yet.  It is possible that the capitalization of other tokens and coins that the SEC wants to recognize as securities is now being poured into the capitalization of Bitcoin. 

However, the collapse of Binance will be a painful blow to the entire cryptocurrency market.