Binance Withdrawals Surge After Regulatory Crackdown on BUSD


Key Insights

  • Binance USD witnessed net outflows of $831 million in the past 24 hours
  • Users withdrew around $2.8 billion of digital assets from Binance in the last 24 hours
  • 342 million BUSD has been burned over the last 24 hours
  • The SEC ordered Paxos to stop issuing BUSD

Binance Withdrawals Spike

Binance, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges, has been in the news recently for a surge in withdrawals. According to reports, Binance witnessed $831 million of net outflows in the past 24 hours, with users withdrawing around $2.8 billion of digital assets. This is a significant development, considering that Binance has been one of the most popular exchanges in the crypto space.

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The surge in withdrawals comes after the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) ordered Paxos Trust to stop issuing dollar-pegged Binance USD stablecoin, which is used extensively on the Binance exchange. The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had issued a Wells notice to Paxos, alleging that Binance USD is an unregistered security. On February 13, SEC ordered Paxos to “cease minting Paxos-issued BUSD” while reinstating its requirements for tokens under its regime to be fully backed by cash or cash equivalents.

The Largest 24-hour Net Outflow Since December

The regulatory crackdown on the Paxos-issued Binance USD has triggered a surge in withdrawals from Binance. It is not yet clear how the situation will unfold in the coming days, but it is clear that Binance is facing a challenging period.

Dune data shows that the surge in withdrawals from Binance is the largest 24-hour net outflow since December 17, 2022, when concerns about Binance’s proof-of-reserve audits spiked. The proof-of-reserve audit is a process in which an exchange proves that it has the funds it claims to have. The fact that Binance’s proof-of-reserve audits have been under scrutiny is worrying for its users, as it raises questions about the exchange’s credibility and trustworthiness.

According to Peckshield, a blockchain security firm, 342 million BUSD has been burned over the last 24 hours. Burning refers to the process of removing a cryptocurrency from circulation by sending it to a designated address where it is rendered unusable. In this case, burning BUSD implies that users are moving away from using the stablecoin, possibly due to concerns about its regulatory status.

Binance Sees Large Firms Like Jump Trading and Wintermute Transferring Funds.

Data from Nansen, a blockchain analytics firm, shows that Jump Trading and Wintermute are among the largest firms moving funds from Binance in the past seven days. Reportedly, net withdrawals from Binance by crypto wallets tied with Jump reached $146 million of digital assets over the past seven days. According to Nansen analyst Andrew Thurman, Jump’s net withdrawals include $102 million in Binance USD, $14 million of Tether’s USDT, and $10 million of ether (ETH). Wintermute also withdrew a significant amount of funds, including $8.5 million of wrapped bitcoin (BTC) and $5.5 million of Circle’s USDC stablecoin from the exchange in the past week.

The latest development involving the surge in withdrawals from Binance comes amid reports that Circle had earlier alerted NYDFS in 2022 that Binance’s reserves were insufficient to support its tokens, seemingly including stablecoin Binance USD. Circle, a stablecoin issuer and cryptocurrency exchange, had raised concerns about Binance’s lack of transparency in its reserves, stating that the exchange was “playing fast and loose” with its reserves. These concerns were brought to the attention of NYDFS, but it is not yet clear what actions the regulator took in response.

The recent developments surrounding Binance highlight the challenges that the exchange faces in the highly-regulated crypto industry. Binance has been expanding rapidly over the past few years, but it has faced regulatory scrutiny in several jurisdictions, including the United States, Japan, and the United Kingdom. The exchange has been criticized for its lack of transparency in its operations, especially in relation to its reserves and proof-of-reserve audits.

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The Risks and Benefits of Cryptocurrency Investments

Binance’s recent surge in withdrawals highlights the challenges facing the cryptocurrency industry. The regulatory crackdown on Binance’s stablecoin BUSD has triggered a wave of withdrawals from the exchange, with users pulling out billions of dollars in digital assets. The situation is a reminder of the risks associated with cryptocurrency investments, and the need for investors to be aware of these risks and take appropriate measures to protect their investments. Despite the challenges facing the industry, however, cryptocurrencies continue to offer many potential benefits, and Binance remains one of the world’s largest and most popular cryptocurrency exchanges.



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