Binance and its CEO ‘CZ’ plead guilty to federal charges and agreed to pay 4.3B in fines.
But that`s not all!
The crypto market is facing increased scrutiny as part of an agreement between Binance's CEO, CZ, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
This agreement grants the SEC unprecedented access to Binance's comprehensive records, shedding light on various transactions, fraudulent activities, and instances of price manipulation linked to tether, which significantly influenced the surge in Bitcoin's value.
Of particular interest to regulatory authorities is the revelation that CZ has agreed to provide the SEC with access to tether transactions, signaling a deeper investigation into the controversial stablecoin. Tether (USDT) has long been tethered to the value of the U.S. dollar, yet recent events have sparked concerns about its stability and transparency.
What makes this development particularly noteworthy is the emerging focus on tether by U.S. agencies, who seem to be strategically positioning themselves to potentially replace it with Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). Unlike stablecoins such as USDT, CBDCs are issued and regulated directly by the central bank of a country, eliminating reliance on private entities or community-driven initiatives.
As the SEC gains access to the intricate details of Binance's operations and tether transactions, the crypto community is left on edge, grappling with uncertainties regarding the future of stablecoins and their role in the broader financial landscape. The evolving narrative suggests a potential paradigm shift as regulatory bodies aim to instill confidence in the market through the adoption of government-backed digital currencies over privately issued stablecoins.
The SEC's focus extends beyond Binance to specifically target USDT, with the intention of replacing it with Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) to assert control over all transactions. This strategic move is seen as a prerequisite for potential approval of an ETF in the future. Notably, Binance has been implicated in facilitating transactions linked to terrorist groups, including Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, al-Qaida, and ISIS, as highlighted in a statement by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.
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