Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, has recently experienced billions of dollars in outflows over the past week. Several blockchain analytics platforms have reported a significant increase in exchange outflows from Binance following the United States Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) announcement that it was suing Binance. This article will delve into the details of these outflows, the reasons that led to them, and the response from the CEO of Binance.
Binance experienced billions of dollars in outflows over the past week
The recent news of the SEC’s lawsuit against Binance has created a sense of unease among cryptocurrency investors, leading to significant outflows from the exchange. According to blockchain analytics firm Nansen, there has been an outflow of $2.36 billion from Binance, with $123.7 million flowing from Binance.US over the past week. DefiLlama places the figure even higher, reporting $3.45 billion in outflows from Binance.
There has been an increase in exchange outflows from Binance following the SEC’s lawsuit announcement
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission recently sued Binance and its CEO, Changpeng Zhao (CZ), for allegedly allowing US-based customers to trade cryptocurrencies without registering with the agency. Following this announcement, several cryptocurrency investors fear that this could be the start of a regulatory crackdown on Binance, leading them to withdraw their funds.
Blockchain analytics firms are reporting outflows from Binance
Several blockchain analytics firms have reported a significant increase in exchange outflows from Binance. Nansen reports $2.36 billion in outflows from Binance, while DefiLlama places the figure even higher, reporting $3.45 billion in outflows. This data indicates that cryptocurrency investors are becoming increasingly concerned about the regulatory scrutiny that Binance is facing.
Glassnode data shows a 5.7% decrease in Binance’s Bitcoin balance over the same period
Glassnode, an on-chain monitoring platform, has reported a 5.7% decrease in Binance’s Bitcoin balance over the same period. This decline in Bitcoin balance implies that cryptocurrency investors are indeed withdrawing their funds from Binance.
Binance CEO CZ defends on-chain data interpretation, saying some platforms measure the decrease in AUM as “outflow”
Following reports of increased outflows after news of the lawsuit broke, Binance CEO CZ argued that there was potential for misinterpretation of on-chain data. He explained that a drop in cryptocurrency prices could decrease the assets under management (AUM) of Binance, which some platforms might measure as “outflow”, even when customers remain invested in cryptocurrency. This explanation could clarify why some reports show a higher outflow than others.
CZ added that some platforms only measure outflow and not inflow
In a tweet, CZ added that some platforms only measure outflow and not inflow. This statement means that these platforms do not consider the funds’ inflow while measuring outflows, leading to an inaccurate depiction of the situation.
Recent Binance net outflow is estimated at $392 million
According to CZ’s recent tweet, the net outflow of funds from Binance over the last 24 hours is about $392 million. Though less than the initially reported figures, this outflow is still significant. The trend of outflows from Binance indicates that cryptocurrency investors are wary of Binance’s regulatory situation. A day after filing 13 charges against Binance and CZ, the SEC went on to charge the major cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase for allegedly “operating as an unregistered securities exchange, broker, and clearing agency.” This move by the SEC raises concerns among cryptocurrency investors that other exchanges could also come under regulatory scrutiny, leading to increased outflows.
The recent outflows from Binance and Coinbase’s regulatory charges highlight the current uncertainty and fear in the cryptocurrency markets. The regulatory crackdown could lead to several crypto exchanges coming under SEC’s radar, leading to increased scrutiny and outflows. While CZ’s explanations regarding the measurement of outflows are valid, the trend of outflows indicates a loss of confidence in Binance’s regulatory compliance. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how cryptocurrency investors will react and how it will affect the markets.