Crypto Industry Faces Legal Challenges
The crypto industry has had a rough start to the week due to the U.S. SEC suing the Kraken crypto exchange and the DOJ announcing criminal charges against Binance and its CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ).
This has negatively impacted the crypto market, with the global market cap shrinking by 3% and Bitcoin dipping by 2.5% in 24 hours, along with altcoins like BNB, SUI, and GRT plunging by close to 10%. Midcaps such as Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), and XRP have also seen significant pullbacks.
Despite this, there is growing anticipation among crypto investors for positive news regarding the spot Bitcoin ETFs, and two Bitcoin derivatives, Bitcoin Minetrix and Bitcoin ETF Token, are being closely monitored in their ongoing presales.
Legal Issues Shake the Market
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced criminal charges against Binance and its CEO Changepeng Zhou, accusing them of breaching sanctions law, operating as an unlicensed money transmitting company and failing to maintain an effective anti-money laundering mechanism. Binance has pleaded guilty and agreed to pay $4.3 billion in fines to settle the allegations. Similarly, C.Z. has pleaded guilty in Seattle, agreeing to step down as the CEO and pay $50 million in settlement fines.
Changpeng Zhao stepping down as the Binance CEO took the market by surprise, pushing crypto prices lower. Richard Teng, Binance’s former regional market head, will now replace him as the new CEO. Binance must exit the U.S. as part of the settlement with the U.S. Department of Treasury, but its U.S. subsidiary – Binance US – could continue to operate as a registered money-transmitting company.
Bitcoin ETF Possibilities
Despite the sell-off in the crypto market, experts remain bullish, anticipating that the SEC could approve the pending spot Bitcoin ETF applications due to Binance taking a hit. Bitcoin remains above $36,000, but it needs to hold above the 20-day Simple Moving Average to avoid a potential drop back to $33,000.
Bitcoin ETF Token and Bitcoin Minetrix
Despite Bitcoin pulling lower, Bitcoin ETF Token is firm in the ongoing presale, having raised over $1.3 million. It presents a novel method for monitoring the Bitcoin ETF market, with investors being rewarded when specific goals are attained.
Experts are also backing Bitcoin Minetrix, a cloud mining platform challenging wealthy corporations in crypto mining, providing a solution for retail investors to run a competitive mining operation. Investors can stake BTCMTX to use cloud mining services for Bitcoin and already earn staking rewards, currently at an APY of 140%.
Hot Take: Crypto Legal Issues Shake the Market While Investors Eye ETF Approval
The recent legal issues faced by major players in the crypto industry have created volatility in the market, impacting prices and investor sentiment. However, there is optimism that the SEC may approve pending Bitcoin ETF applications following the downfall of Binance. As these developments unfold, the market remains on edge, with both positive and negative outcomes on the horizon.