Major crypto exchange Binance initially pushed back against a Bloomberg report that its Binance-Peg BUSD stablecoin “doesn’t always appear to have been completely backed by BUSD”. In a Jan. 10 blog post, Binance said the basis for the report — later amended to clarify the difference between a pegged and backed stablecoin — was a “timing mismatch in backing Binance-Peg BUSD with BUSD”. The news outlet reported that the Binance-peg BUSD was often undercollateralized between 2020 and 2021 based on an analysis from ChainArgo co-founder Jonathan Reiter, a gap that sometimes exceeded $1 billion. However, according to the exchange, its …

The Flare (FLR) token airdrop started on Mon., Jan. 9, nearly two years after a snapshot of Ripple (XRP) holders took place on Dec. 12, 2020. The FLR airdrop was distributed at a ratio of 1.0073 FLR per 1 XRP and the initial distribution saw 15% of the total supply released to the community. A total of 28.5 billion FLR were distributed based on this methodology and according to Flare’s tokenomics, 58.3% of the total genesis FLR supply will be distributed over 36 months. What is Flare? Flare is a Layer-1 blockchain with an oracle system aiming to boost interoperability …

Crypto exchange Binance has been a major talking point since the downfall of FTX, both inside and outside of the crypto industry. The company and its founder, Changpeng "CZ" Zhao, have been under a microscope in an attempt to keep the behemoth in line. On Jan. 10, a tweet surfaced regarding the cryptocurrency exchange’s employee policy to prevent insider trading. It claimed Binance employees of any ranking are not allowed to participate in personal short-term trading and must hold positions for a minimum of 90 days. Cointelegraph reached out to Binance to confirm its policy and comment on the implications. …

Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried has pled not guilty to all criminal charges he’s facing, including wire fraud, securities fraud and violations of campaign finance laws. In total, the entrepreneur faces eight criminal counts, which could result in 115 years in prison should he be convicted. Meanwhile, Daniel Friedberg, the controversial lawyer who served as top compliance chief at FTX, has reportedly cooperated with prosecutors and provided them with his knowledge of SBF’s use of customer funds to finance his illegal business scheme. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York has formed the FTX Task …

Bankrupt crypto brokerage Voyager Digital filed documents in United States court Jan. 8 in response to objections raised to the Binance US proposal to buy out its debt. Voyager announced it had approved the offer Dec. 19. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), four states, the U.S. Trustee and Alameda Research filed objections to it. Voyager stated in one document that objections to the Binance US offer “fail to put forward any factual or legal support” in their arguments, while Binance US offered creditors higher recovery rates than other proposals and expeditious recovery. Voyager’s decision to accept the Binance.US plan …

United States prosecutors are investigating hedge funds' relationships with cryptocurrency exchange Binance for money-laundering violations. According to anonymous sources cited by the Washington Post, the U.S. attorney’s office for the Western District of Washington in Seattle subpoenaed investment firms to provide records of communications with Binance in the past months. The allegedly subpoenas do not mean prosecutors are bringing charges against the crypto exchange or hedge funds, as authorities are still evaluating evidence and a possible settlement with Binance, according to legal specialists. Binance did not immediately respond to Cointelegraph’s request for comment. Binance is under probe in the United …

Binance has become one of the first crypto firms to join the Association of Certified Sanctions Specialists, ACSS, in an effort to stay in compliance with global sanctions. In a Jan. 6 announcement, Binance said its team of sanctions compliance personnel would be undergoing training as part of the certification process at ACSS. According to the association’s website, the group offered an examination addressing “knowledge and skills common to all sanctions professionals in varied employment settings.” "The blockchain industry is still in its early years, and it's our priority to continue upholding the highest level of compliance amid a fast-evolving …

Cryptocurrency exchanges are introducing various ways to buy Bitcoin (BTC) using the Apple Pay payment method. This comes as a good move for Bitcoin adoption since the Apple Pay digital wallet accounts for more than 507 million mobile wallet downloads and a dominating market share of 43.5% in the United States mobile payments market. This ability to now integrate and buy Bitcoin with Apple Pay paves new crypto opportunities for iPhone users. This article explains how to purchase Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies using Apple Pay. What is Apple Pay digital wallet? Apple Pay, introduced in 2014, is a mobile payment …

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed a “limited objection” to crypto exchange Binance.US’s proposed $1 billion takeover of bankrupt crypto lender Voyager Digital, citing a lack of “necessary information.” The limited objection was filed on Jan. 4, with the SEC pointing to a lack of detail regarding Binance.US’s ability to fund the acquisition, what Binance.US’s operations would look like following the deal, and how customer assets will be secured during and after the transaction. A limited objection is similar to a normal objection but only applies to a specific part of the proceedings. Additionally, the regulator …

Celebrities had a shaky year promoting crypto firms and projects throughout 2022. Many found themselves named in lawsuits over their alleged promotion of since-failed projects, while others have been relentlessly mocked on social media for their involvement in the first place. From movie stars to television actors, sports stars to musicians, many celebrities may be regretting their endorsement deals last year, though that’s not to say that there haven’t been exceptions. Who got burned? In February last year, American comedian Larry David, who co-created the television series Seinfeld, appeared in a Super Bowl commercial for now-defunct crypto exchange FTX that …

During a year plagued by crises such as the collapse of FTX and Celsius, data shows that crypto exchange Binance has emerged as the clear “winner” of 2022 according to Arcane Research. A Jan. 3 report from Arcane highlighted that Binance saw its market dominance soar throughout 2022. As of Dec. 28 last year it had captured 92% of the Bitcoin (BTC) spot market and 61% of the BTC derivatives market by volume: “There are no other evident ‘winners’ of 2022 other than Binance when it comes to the crypto market structure and market dominance. No matter how you look …

Continuing with 2022’s trend, there is a lack of positive excitement in the crypto market. While Bitcoin (BTC) and altcoins have remained stagnant to start 2023, there are a few reasons why volatility could spike in January. Winklevoss Letter to DCG stirs up bankruptcy FUD On Jan. 2, Cameron Winklevoss, the co-founder of Gemini, penned an open letter to Digital Currency Group (DCG) founder, Barry Silbert demanding answers on the $900 million in locked customer funds. Gemini launched the “Earn” program in coordination with Barry Silbert and the $900 million in customer funds have been locked since Nov. 16 due …