Exchanges news
Binance launches anti-scam campaign after Hong Kong pilot run
Binance, in cooperation with law enforcement agencies, is launching a campaign to prevent scams by issuing targeted alerts to potential victims, according to a March 3 blog post from the company. The project, called the “joint anti-scam campaign” was rolled out first in Hong Kong, and the company now intends to expand it into other jurisdictions. Keeping our ecosystem and the #Binance community safe is at the core of what we do. Which is why we partnered with law enforcement agencies across the globe to launch the Joint Anti-Scam Campaign. Read on to see what it's all about ⤵️ https://t.co/q9LOtuZm2F …
Adoption / March 3, 2023
Is the SEC’s action against BUSD more about Binance than stablecoins?
Binance branded stablecoin, Binance USD (BUSD), is a dollar-backed stablecoin issued by blockchain infrastructure platform Paxos Trust Company, and is the third largest stablecoin after Tether’s (USDT) and Circle’s USD Coin (USDC). Paxos has claimed in the past that BUSD is fully backed by reserves held in either fiat cash or United States Treasury bills. BUSD was reportedly authorized and regulated by the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS). Paxos partnered with crypto exchange Binance in 2019 and launched the stablecoin, which received approval from the NYDFS. Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao has stated that the exchange licensed the …
Regulation / Feb. 27, 2023
CoinEx crypto exchange sued by New York for failing to register with state
Cryptocurrency exchange CoinEx has been sued by the New York Attorney General, Letitia James, alleging the firm falsely represented itself as an exchange due to failing to register as a securities and commodities broker-dealer in the state. A 38-page petition filed by James in the New York Supreme Court on Feb. 22 alleged CoinEx “engaged in repeated and persistent fraudulent practices” and violated the state’s Martin Act — considered one of the most strict anti-fraud and securities regulation laws in the United States. She also asserted CoinEx listed various tokens that qualified as “both commodities and securities” naming Amp (AMP), …
Regulation / Feb. 23, 2023
Gate.io to enter Hong Kong following city’s $6.4M budget allocation to Web3
Cryptocurrency exchange Gate.io is gearing up to launch a presence in Hong Kong following the local government's planned $6.4 million (50 million Hong Kong dollar) cash injection into Web3 as per the city’s 2023-24 budget. Gate Group said on Feb. 22 that it will apply for a crypto license in Hong Kong allowing it to launch “Gate HK.” The firm's local company, Hippo Financial Services, gained a license in August 2022 to provide virtual asset custodial services. It comes as Hong Kong financial secretary, Paul Chan, announced the Web3-related funding and the creation of a crypto task force in a …
Business / Feb. 23, 2023
Coinbase beats Q4 earnings estimates amid falling transaction volume
United States-based cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has beaten revenue expectations for the fourth quarter of 2022 but continued to see its transaction volume decline. Net revenue for the exchange came in at $605 million for the quarter, beating the $589 million revenue reportedly estimated by Wall Street analysts Transaction volumes decreased 12% compared to the prior quarter, however, Coinbase pointed to a 34% increase in subscription and service revenues as the reason for its 5% total revenue growth for the quarter. Our Q4 and FY'22 financial results are in. Our letter to shareholders can be found on the Investor Relations website …
United States / Feb. 21, 2023
Market makers in the crypto industry: party planners or bartenders?
What is a market maker, and how do they differ in the crypto and traditional finance markets? At the European Blockchain Conference in Barcelona, Cointelegraph discussed the topic with key market makers in the crypto industry on one of the conference’s first panels. Cointelegraph reporter Joseph Hall drew up the analogy that crypto market makers are much like cool bartenders at a very high-tech and unashamedly nerdy cocktail party. Their job is to keep the drinks flowing, i.e., provide liquidity and ensure everyone's having a good time while maintaining order in the market. Cointelegraph's @JoeNakamoto hosting the "Why Market Making …
Blockchain / Feb. 21, 2023
Binance banking problems highlight a divide between crypto firms and banks
Binance, the world's leading crypto exchange by trading volume, will temporarily suspend bank transfers in U.S. dollars. The exchange stated in a tweet on Feb. 6 that no other trading methods would be affected. The announcement came with no explanation. However, exchange CEO Changpeng Zhao noted in a tweet that only 0.01% of the exchange’s total users will be affected by the suspension while assuring that they are looking to resolve the issue soon. Recently, Binance encountered related financial issues in the U.S. On Jan. 21, its SWIFT transfer partner, Signature Bank, announced that, as of Feb. 1, it would …
Adoption / Feb. 16, 2023
Why zero-knowledge KYC won't work
The emergence of blockchain technology presents an opportunity to reexamine and innovate solutions used in our day-to-day life. Blockchains and, broadly speaking, the digital space fuelled by an artificial intelligence revolution urgently need to establish verifiable human identities to ensure trust, accountability and regulatory compliance. There are a variety of emerging technologies, both on- and off-chain, that could serve as the basis for a functioning trust framework. One solution, in particular, is often referred to as the holy grail of verifications — zero-knowledge Know Your Customer (zkKYC) verification. What are zk and KYC? ZK stands for zero-knowledge, a cryptography term …
Technology / Feb. 15, 2023
Education is key to financial freedom, says Bitcoin advocate Najah Roberts
Can Bitcoin help Black Americans build wealth in a country that has historically and intentionally prevented them from doing so? The Agenda podcast recently sat down with Najah Roberts, a Bitcoin educator and entrepreneur, to explore the question. In Part 1 of the conversation, released on Feb. 1, Roberts told hosts Jonathan DeYoung and Ray Salmond that Bitcoin (BTC) might be the greatest opportunity Black Americans have had to close the country’s wealth gap. She stressed the importance of communities having financial sovereignty and control over their own money, which can help uplift entire generations. In Part 2 of their …
Adoption / Feb. 15, 2023
Crypto exchanges tackle insider trading after recent convictions
In January, the brother of a former Coinbase product manager was sentenced to 10 months in prison for wire fraud conspiracy in what prosecutors called the first case of insider trading involving cryptocurrencies. In September 2022, Nikhil Wahi entered a guilty plea for executing trades based on private data obtained from his brother, Ishan Wahi, a former product manager for Coinbase. Most countries have laws against insider trading, which carry stiff penalties like jail time and heavy fines. The recent insider trading investigation against crypto exchanges by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission indicates that regulatory bodies are prepared …
Regulation / Feb. 7, 2023
Overstock-funded tZERO Crypto exchange will shut down March 6
The tZERO Crypto exchange, whose majority owner is Overstock, will shut down on March 6, the company announced via Twitter on Feb. 3. The company says that it will continue to focus on its regulated securities products after the shutdown, as the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other regulators clarify the legal status of crypto assets. Today, tZERO Crypto informed its customers that it will be ceasing operations on March 6, following an orderly withdrawal of assets by the customers, which continue to be held by the custodian. 1/7 — tZERO (@tZERO) February 3, 2023 tZERO is …
Regulation / Feb. 3, 2023
Crypto firms cut nearly 3,000 jobs in January despite Bitcoin’s rise
Crypto companies tightened their purse strings in the first month of 2023, with at least 2,900 crypto staff cut loose across 14 crypto firms in January. The latest firm to reportedly initiate a layoff is the crypto infrastructure provider Prime Trust which reduced its employee count by a third according to reports. The reduction would equate to an estimated 100 or so staff cut as Prime had 312 employees on LinkedIn at the time of writing. Other recent cuts over the last few days include 30 staff from the crypto platform Matrixport being let go according to a Jan. 27 …
Markets / Jan. 31, 2023