Author: Andrei Ionescu

Binance Futures is set to expand its offerings by introducing USDⓈ-margined perpetual contracts for BANUSDT and AKTUSDT, providing traders with leverage of up to 75x. The contracts will go live on November 18, 2024, at 11:30 UTC and will be available for trading 24/7. Key Details of the New Contracts Contract NameUnderlying AssetSettlement AssetMaximum LeverageFunding Rate CapTrading HoursBANUSDTComedian (BAN)*USDT75x±2.00%24/7AKTUSDTAkash Network (AKT)**USDT75x±2.00%24/7 Additional Specifications Comedian (BAN) and Akash Network (AKT) perpetual contracts allow users to trade with USDT as the settlement asset, making it easier to manage collateral and execute trades efficiently. Verified Contract Addresses Important Notes for Traders Binance Futures…

Binance Margin has announced the addition of three new USDC trading pairs to its platform, available for both Cross Margin and Isolated Margin trading. New Trading Pairs The newly introduced trading pairs are: Enhanced Trading Experience The addition is part of Binance’s ongoing effort to enhance user experience by diversifying trading options and enabling more flexibility in portfolio management and trading strategies. Traders can now explore these pairs to take advantage of Binance Margin’s extensive features, offering tools for greater risk management and strategic opportunities in volatile markets. To learn more and begin trading, users can visit the Binance Margin…

South Korea’s top cryptocurrency exchange, Upbit, is under investigation by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Financial Services Commission (FSC) for alleged violations of Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements. The probe comes as part of Upbit’s periodic business license renewal process, with at least 500,000 to 600,000 suspected instances of improper KYC procedures identified during the review. FIU Investigation Findings The FIU began its on-site inspection of Upbit in late August after the exchange submitted its renewal application. Preliminary findings revealed numerous instances where identification documents provided by users were either unclear or incomplete but were still accepted during…

Goldman Sachs, a leading global investment bank, has significantly expanded its Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) holdings, revealing $718 million in investments as of a Nov. 14 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). $300 Million Added Since Q2 2024 The bank’s quarterly holdings report disclosed that Goldman Sachs increased its Bitcoin ETF portfolio by $300 million since the second quarter, marking a 71% jump in exposure. Goldman’s largest Bitcoin ETF investment is a $461 million stake in BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT). Other holdings include: The bank also revealed $22.6 million in investments in Ethereum-focused ETFs, including…

Matrixport’s latest weekly report highlights a series of favorable factors driving Bitcoin’s recent strong performance, including sustained inflows into spot Bitcoin ETFs, expectations of Federal Reserve interest rate cuts, and an improving regulatory environment. Key Catalysts in December The report identifies three critical events in December that could accelerate institutional adoption: December 6: MicroStrategy may be added to the S&P 500 Index, potentially increasing exposure to Bitcoin through the company’s significant BTC holdings. December 10: Microsoft is scheduled to review a Bitcoin investment proposal, a move that could signal increased corporate interest. December 15: New accounting standards from the Financial…

U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) surpassed $500 billion in cumulative trading volume on Wednesday, marking a major milestone less than a year since their launch in January. Spot Bitcoin ETFs gained momentum quickly, reaching $100 billion in trading volume by March and $200 billion by April as Bitcoin climbed to new record highs near $74,000 earlier this year. Despite a cooling period with Bitcoin trading in the $50,000-$70,000 range, volume has spiked again following Donald Trump’s pro-crypto U.S. presidential election win in November. By the close of trading yesterday, cumulative volume for U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs reached $505.4 billion.…

Pepe (PEPE), the popular memecoin, experienced a remarkable surge in value, with its market capitalization briefly topping $10.2 billion, up from around $5.7 billion just a day prior. This meteoric rise followed listings on multiple major exchanges, driving its price up 77% over the past 24 hours to $0.000024. Currently, Pepe’s market cap has settled at approximately $9.5 billion. The price boost was spurred by high-profile listings. Robinhood Crypto recently added Pepe alongside Solana, Cardano, and XRP for U.S. customers. The addition of these tokens comes as Robinhood reintroduces Solana, Cardano, and XRP after they were delisted due to regulatory…

Binance has announced the listing of Usual (USUAL), a new decentralized fiat stablecoin issuer, as the 61st project on its Launchpool. This makes Binance the first platform to introduce USUAL, with Pre-Market trading set to begin on November 19, 2024, at 10:00 UTC. Users should exercise caution, as any pre-listing sales are likely fraudulent. Launchpool Farming and Pre-Market Trading The USUAL Launchpool will begin on November 15, 2024, at 00:00 UTC, allowing Binance users to farm USUAL by staking BNB and FDUSD in supported pools. The farming period will last four days, ending on November 18, 2024, at 23:59 UTC.…

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a complaint to seize over $17.9 million in cryptocurrency in a Binance account linked to former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried’s alleged bribery of Chinese officials. Prosecutors claim the funds are connected to a November 2021 incident in which Bankman-Fried directed a $40 million USDT transfer to release approximately $1 billion in frozen crypto assets held on Chinese exchanges. The complaint, filed Tuesday, outlines how Bankman-Fried allegedly facilitated the bribe through FTX’s sister trading firm, Alameda Research, to secure the release of frozen funds. According to prosecutors, after the accounts were unfrozen, Bankman-Fried allegedly…

Dogecoin (DOGE) is once again making headlines as President-elect Donald Trump announced the formation of a new “Department of Government Efficiency,” or D.O.G.E., set to overhaul government operations. The news sent DOGE prices surging, underscoring the influence of memetic culture on financial markets. Trump shared Tuesday that entrepreneur Elon Musk and political commentator Vivek Ramaswamy will head the initiative, tasked with restructuring federal agencies and reducing bureaucratic red tape. The two will operate outside formal government roles, working to bring “entrepreneurial reform” to federal administration and spending practices. “Together, these two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my administration…