Cryptocurrency

Singapore Tells Binance to Halt Service in Latest Crypto Hit

Published

3 years ago

September 3, 2021

Binance Holdings Ltd. must stop offering services regulated in Singapore after a potential breach of local payment rules, adding to a mounting list of jurisdictions scrutinizing the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange.

Binance may be in breach of the Payments Services Act for providing payment services to, and soliciting business from Singapore residents without an appropriate license, the Monetary Authority of Singapore said Thursday, in response to questions from Bloomberg.

As Binance didn’t apply for a license under local law, the MAS has added Binance.com to the investor alert list, which warns consumers that Binance isn’t regulated or licensed to provide any payment services locally.

The Singapore regulator’s warning marks the latest blow for Binance, which has grown quickly since its 2017 debut and doesn’t have a global headquarters. While Binance has also drawn scrutiny from regulators in the U.S., the U.K., Thailand, Malaysia and Japan, many crypto bulls say tougher frameworks are a sign of market maturity offering more protection for investors that could lure more money to digital assets.

‘Holistic View’

“MAS is likely to take a holistic view on the application and consider the fact that Binance (global) has been put on the investor alert list,” said Nizam Ismail, founder of Ethikom Consultancy, a Singapore-based consultant, which advises firms on compliance and regulation. “Binance (global) would have to show that it has remediated any shortcomings and that it will not, going forward, solicit trades from Singapore resident customers.”

Binance Holdings, which operates globally, has local affiliates in some countries like the U.S. and U.K. — and in Singapore, with Binance Asia Services, which operates Binance.sg. BAS recently submitted a license application and is currently exempted from holding a license for the provision of digital payment token services, according to the MAS. That application remains under review.

The company’s Singapore operations are conducted by a separate legal entity from Binance.com, with its own local executive and management team, and does not offer any products or services via the Binance.com website or other related entities, and vice versa, Binance Singapore said in an emailed reply to Bloomberg.

That entity earned S$645,291 ($480,840) in revenue for the financial year ending March 2020, compared with zero during the previous year, according to a filing to the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority.

Singapore isn’t the first country to take action against Binance. The U.K. banned the exchange from doing regulated business in Britain and Japan’s Financial Services Agency has warned it’s operating without registration. In the U.S., Bloomberg reported it has been the subject of a probe by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

MAS has been engaging BAS and expects the firm to immediately begin an orderly suspension of its facilitation of transfers of digital payment token assets between BAS and Binance, according to the regulator. The Singapore unit of Binance will inform its customers of the appropriate arrangements as soon as practicable, according to MAS.

Binance CEO Zhao Changpeng, a Canadian citizen, resides in Singapore and is the majority shareholder of Binance Asia Services, according to ACRA. Temasek Holdings Pte.’s Vertex Venture Holdings Ltd. is an investor in Binance Asia.

The company recently hired Richard Teng, the former regulator who spent two decades at the MAS and Singapore Exchange Ltd., to lead its Singapore entity. Teng’s appointment follows comments from Zhao who said Binance would establish multiple headquarters globally and is looking for regional CEOs — as well as, potentially, his successor — with compliance experience a big focus in the selection process.

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Cryptocurrency

Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, NEAR Protocol Soar 5%-10% in Cryptocurrency Rebound

Published

4 hours ago

May 4, 2024

Samed Olukoya

Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, and NEAR Protocol have seen impressive gains ranging from 5% to 10%, igniting optimism among investors after a period of volatility.

Dogecoin, the meme-inspired digital currency, surged by 5% to add to its recent momentum while Shiba Inu, another popular meme coin, followed suit with a 10% jump.

NEAR Protocol, a blockchain platform focusing on decentralized applications, also joined the rally with a solid 5% increase.

This surge comes on the heels of Bitcoin’s resurgence, which saw a nearly 5% gain to briefly break the $62,000 price level.

Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, reclaimed the $3,000 level, further bolstering confidence in the market.

The rally was spurred by the release of the U.S. April jobs report, which showed the addition of 175,000 jobs, falling short of the expected 245,000.

This unexpected development eased concerns about higher interest rates, prompting a positive response from cryptocurrency investors.

Market analysts pointed out that the softer-than-expected jobs data led to an increase in the likelihood of at least one rate cut by September, according to CME FedWatch data.

This dovish sentiment, coupled with the Federal Reserve’s indication of no immediate interest in cutting rates, contributed to a more favorable environment for cryptocurrencies.

Moreover, Coinbase analysts highlighted the recent Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, where policymakers tapered the pace of the central bank’s balance sheet runoff, signaling a more dovish stance.

This move was interpreted as a positive signal for both fiat and cryptocurrency markets.

Arthur Hayes, former CEO of BitMEX, expressed confidence in Bitcoin’s recent performance, suggesting that it may have bottomed out at $56,000.

However, he cautioned investors to expect a gradual recovery rather than a swift ascent to previous highs.

Hayes forecasted a period of range-bound price action between $60,000 and $70,000 until August.

As the cryptocurrency market continues to navigate through fluctuations, the recent rebound in Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, and NEAR Protocol reflects a renewed sense of optimism among traders, fueled by positive developments in the broader financial landscape.

Cryptocurrency

Binance Boss Behind Bars: CZ Sentenced to Four Months for Crypto Exchange Failures

Published

3 days ago

May 1, 2024

Samed Olukoya

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, widely known as CZ, has been sentenced to four months in prison for his role in security failures that enabled cybercriminals and terrorist groups to exploit the Binance platform.

The verdict, delivered by US District Judge Richard Jones in Seattle, is the first time a chief executive officer of a major cryptocurrency exchange has been incarcerated for breaching banking secrecy laws.

The courtroom, packed with onlookers and CZ’s legal team, witnessed the billionaire entrepreneur, clad in a dark suit and light blue tie, receive his sentence stoically.

Despite fervent pleas from prosecutors for a three-year sentence to set a precedent in the crypto industry, Judge Jones opted for a shorter term.

In his statement, Judge Jones emphasized that no individual, regardless of wealth or status, is exempt from accountability under the law.

The case against CZ stemmed from a protracted investigation by the US Department of Justice, casting a long shadow over Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, and its high-profile leader.

Prosecutors argued that CZ’s failure to implement adequate money laundering safeguards facilitated illicit transactions, enabling cybercriminals and even terrorist groups like Hamas to operate freely on the platform.

The sentencing also comes on the heels of similar crackdowns within the cryptocurrency space, including the recent conviction of Sam Bankman-Fried, a former crypto titan who received a 25-year prison sentence for defrauding FTX customers of billions of dollars.

CZ’s defense team, however, contended that he should be spared imprisonment due to his non-US citizenship, which they argued put him at heightened risk in a US detention facility.

Nevertheless, Judge Jones emphasized the gravity of CZ’s offenses, terming them “unprecedented” in scale and impact.

In a post-sentencing statement on social media, CZ expressed acceptance of his fate, vowing to “do his time” and focus on education and philanthropy upon his release.

Despite his impending incarceration, CZ affirmed his commitment to the cryptocurrency sector as a passive investor.

The implications of CZ’s sentencing extend beyond his personal fate, raising questions about regulatory oversight and accountability within the burgeoning crypto industry.

Federal prosecutor Kevin Mosley underscored the deliberate nature of CZ’s violations, arguing that they were not mere oversights but intentional breaches of US law.

As CZ prepares to serve his prison term at Seattle’s Federal Detention Center, SeaTac, the crypto community grapples with the repercussions of his downfall.

The episode serves as a stark reminder that, despite the decentralized ethos of cryptocurrencies, regulatory scrutiny and legal accountability remain paramount in an increasingly interconnected financial landscape.

Cryptocurrency

U.S. Prosecutors Recommend 36-Month Prison Term for Binance Founder Changpeng Zhao

Published

1 week ago

April 24, 2024

Samed Olukoya

In a significant development in the legal saga surrounding Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, U.S. prosecutors have recommended a 36-month prison term for its founder, Changpeng Zhao.

The recommendation follows Zhao’s guilty plea to violating laws against money laundering, a pivotal moment in the ongoing legal battle between Binance and U.S. authorities.

Zhao, commonly known as CZ, stepped down as Binance’s chief last November, simultaneously admitting to the violations alongside the exchange.

The firm agreed to a hefty penalty of $4.32 billion as part of the settlement with prosecutors.

According to court filings submitted to the U.S. district court for the western district of Washington, prosecutors argued that the magnitude of Zhao’s willful violation of U.S. law warranted an above-guidelines sentence.

While federal sentencing guidelines set a maximum term of 18 months in prison for Zhao, prosecutors emphasized the severity of the violations and their consequences in advocating for the extended sentence.

The legal scrutiny surrounding Binance stems from allegations that the exchange failed to report over 100,000 suspicious transactions involving designated terrorist groups such as Hamas, al Qaeda, and ISIS.

Furthermore, prosecutors alleged that Binance’s platform facilitated the sale of child sexual abuse materials and served as a recipient of a significant portion of ransomware proceeds.

As part of the settlement, Zhao agreed to pay a $50 million fine and disengage from any involvement with Binance, the platform he founded in 2017.

The penalties imposed on Binance included a staggering $1.81 billion criminal fine and restitution of $2.51 billion.

The recommendation for a 36-month prison term underscores the seriousness with which U.S. authorities are addressing violations within the cryptocurrency industry.

The outcome of Zhao’s sentencing, scheduled for April 30 in Seattle, will likely have far-reaching implications for both Binance and the broader cryptocurrency ecosystem.

As regulatory scrutiny intensifies, stakeholders across the industry are closely monitoring developments to gauge their impact on the future of cryptocurrency exchanges and their founders.