The recent revelation that Binance failed to report over 100,000 transactions tied to illicit activities has sent ripples across the crypto market. This report delves into the repercussions of these allegations and the potential ramifications for the broader crypto landscape.
Regulatory Scrutiny and Binance
In a press release on 21 November, the U.S. Treasury disclosed that Binance had neglected to report suspicious transactions, implement an effective anti-money laundering program, and enforce know-your-customer regulations as mandated by U.S. law. Binance has since agreed to retroactively report to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) regarding these issues.
The United States regulatory authorities have been investigating Binance for involvement in money laundering and sanctions violations. The talks will soon be concluded, as Binance has agreed to pay the huge fine of $4.3 Billion to end the case.
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Coinbase, a major Binance rival, seized the opportunity to emphasize the importance of regulating the crypto market. CEO Brian Armstrong underscored transparency and clarity as pivotal elements in Coinbase’s regulatory compliance since its inception in 2012. Notably, Coinbase’s status as a public company distinguishes it from Binance.
Current Market Conditions
The crypto market reflects negative sentiment, with a 1.2% dip in the global market cap below the crucial $1.443 trillion mark. Bitcoin’s price stands at $36,495.20, showing a 1.83% decline in the last 24 hours. Altcoins like ALGO and SOL have experienced notable pullbacks.
Meanwhile, Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao’s announcement of his departure as part of a settlement with the U.S. DoJ triggered a sharp 60% surge in BNB’s 24-hour trading volume, reaching $2.55 billion before facing decline. Social dominance of Binance Coin (BNB) also spiked, indicating a heightened interest following CZ’s exit.
BNB is down by 9% amid the wider crypto downturn following the recent charges against Binance. This setback interrupted BNB’s bull run that had persisted since early September. Despite the drop, BNB remains the fourth-largest cryptocurrency with a $35.8 billion market cap.
Short-Term Challenges and Long-Term Outlook
Market Optimism and Recovery:
Despite the uncertainty, some market participants believe that there’s optimism for a swift market recovery. The current turbulence is taken as a necessary shakeout, which will pave the way for a more legitimate and transparent crypto industry.
Analyst @tedtalksmacro believes that the DoJ announcement will now bring the Binance FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt) to an end, as the market anticipates the approval of bitcoin spot’s ETF by the end of January.
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Despite the market sell-off, experts maintain a bullish stance in both the short and long term. Analysts believe that the DoJ’s announcement could dispel FUD surrounding Binance, potentially paving the way for SEC approval of pending spot Bitcoin ETF applications.
@DrProfitCrypto emphasizes the importance of bitcoin holding above the 20-day Simple Moving Average at $36,287. Failure to do so could lead to a retracement to $33,000.
Read more: U.S SEC vs Binance: Impact on BNB price and what to expect from here
Credit: Solomon Victor is a Technical Analyst who is also knowledgeable about various aspects of blockchain and cryptocurrency.
