Binance Returns to South Korea Via Gopax

Plus, bitcoin market sentiment is most bullish in 14 months

February 3, 2023 The latest moves in crypto markets, in context By Lyllah Ledesma, CoinDesk reporter Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Sign up here.    Welcome to Friday! Here's what's happening in crypto today: Binance has acquired a majority stake in South Korean exchange GOPAX. Shares of Silvergate Capital tanked on Thursday. Proposals to subpoena the Bankman-Fried family have been opposed.   Latest Prices CoinDesk Market Index (CMI) 1,118 −14.1 ▼ 1.2% Bitcoin (BTC) $23,518 −307.3 ▼ 1.3% Ethereum (ETH) $1,647 −25.7 ▼ 1.5% S&P 500 futures 4,162.50 −29.0 ▼ 0.7% FTSE 100 7,837.65 +17.4 ▲ 0.2% Treasury Yield 10 Years 3.4% ▼ 0.0 BTC/ETH prices per CoinDesk Indices, as of 7 a.m. ET (11 a.m. UTC) CoinDesk Market Index (CMI): 1,118  −1.2%  Bitcoin (BTC): $23,518  −1.3%  Ether (ETC): $1,647  −1.5%  S&P 500 futures: 4,162.50  −0.7%  FTSE 100: 7,837.65  +0.2%

Treasury Yield 10 Years: 3.4%  −0.0 

 

Top Stories Binance has acquired a majority stake in South Korean crypto exchange GOPAX, according to a Bloomberg report on Friday. The acquisition sees the world's largest crypto exchange by trading volume re-enter South Korea's market, having closed its affiliate there in December 2020 due to low usage. Terms for the deal were not disclosed. Binance's investment in GOPAX came via the Industry Recovery Initiative, which Binance leads and committed $1 billion to in November, after the collapse of FTX. (Unsplash)  Shares of Silvergate Capital (SI) fell sharply after the market closed on Thursday after  Bloomberg reported the U.S. Department of Justice's fraud unit was looking into the crypto bank's dealings with the now-bankrupt FTX and Alameda Research. The criminal investigation is looking at Silvergate's hosting of accounts tied to FTX and Alameda, according to people familiar with the matter speaking to Bloomberg. Silvergate hasn't been accused of any wrongdoing and the investigation could end without any charges being brought, according to Bloomberg. Proposals to subpoena FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, his immediate family and senior staff of the bankrupt crypto exchange have been opposed by the U.S. Trustee, a branch of the Department of Justice dealing with bankruptcy. The plans, set to be discussed at a Wednesday hearing, would duplicate any independent examination of the exchange's downfall, U.S. Trustee Andrew Vara said in a legal filing made Thursday. An independent examiner has yet to be appointed.

Market Insight: Bullish Sentiment Continues (Glassnode)  Bitcoin (BTC) is currently priced significantly lower than it was in late 2021. Still, the mood in the market is as positive as it was back then. That's the message from funding rates, a mechanism that keeps the prices of bitcoin perpetual futures contracts in sync with the spot market price. When perpetual futures are trading above spot, the funding rate is positive and holders of bullish long, or buy, positions pay bearish shorts to keep their trade open. The opposite happens when perpetuals trade below the spot price. Analysts track the funding rate to gauge the mood of leverage traders. The higher the funding rate, the more excited traders are about price prospects and the more willing to pay a premium to keep their upside bets open. Read the full story by Omkar Godbole

Chart of the Day The chart shows the percentage of stablecoins that smart money wallets hold in their portfolio over time. The recent decline suggests "crypto native money is adding risk," according to Ilan Solot, co-head of digital assets at London-based Marex Solutions. In other words, smart money is again accumulating coins and using stablecoins to fund purchases. "There is still a lot of dry powder. The indicator is at 25% now, down from 40% at the start of the year, but far from the almost fully invested reading from early 2021," Solot said in an email. Source: Nansen. – Omkar Godbole

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Trending Posts UK Bank Nationwide Has Restricted Card Payments to Binance India Reveals IMF Is Working With G-20 for Crypto Regulations Crypto Markets Analysis: Bitcoin and Ether's Divergent 2023 Paths May Present Opportunity for Crypto Investors Disclaimer: The information presented in this message is intended as a news item that provides a brief summary of various events and developments that affect, or that might in the future affect, the value of one or more of the cryptocurrencies described above. The information contained in this message, and any information liked through the items contained herein, is not intended to provide sufficient information to form the basis for an investment decision. The information presented herein is accurate only as of its date, and it was not prepared by a research analyst or other investment professional. You should seek additional information regarding the merits and risks of investing in any cryptocurrency before deciding to purchase or sell any such instruments.

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