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FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison

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FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison

NEW YORK (AP) — Cryptocurrency entrepreneur Sam Bankman Fried was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison for a massive fraud involving hundreds of thousands of customers that ended in the collapse of FTX, once one of the world’s most popular digital currency trading platforms.

Although he described Bankman-Fried as “extremely intelligent,” U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan provided a scathing analysis of Bankman-Fried and his crimes before announcing a sentence that was half of what prosecutors sought and less than a quarter of the 105-year sentence. recommended by court probation officers.

“There is absolutely no question that Mr. Bankman-Fried’s name is pretty much in the mud right now around the world,” Kaplan said of the 32-year-old Californian who seemed at the top of the cryptocurrency universe before his activities collapsed in November 2022, leaving customers, investors and lenders sold more than $11 billion, which the judge ordered him to forfeit.

Was sentenced in November of fraud and conspiracy — a dramatic fall from a crest of success that included a Super Bowl ad, testimony before Congress and celebrity endorsements from stars like quarterback Tom Brady, basketball point guard Stephen Curry and comedian Larry David.

Kaplan imposed the sentence in the same Manhattan courtroom where, four months earlier, Bankman-Fried had testified that with his innovative and altruistic ideas he intended to revolutionize the emerging cryptocurrency market, not steal.

The judge said Bankman-Fried repeatedly committed perjury on the witness stand in testimony that was “often evasive, quibbling and question-dodging.”

Kaplan said the ruling reflects the risk that Bankman-Fried “will be in a position to do something very bad in the future. And it’s not a trivial risk at all.” He added that the sentence was made “with the aim of incapacitating him to the extent that this can be done appropriately for a significant period of time”.

Kaplan said he will recommend that the Federal Bureau of Prisons send Bankman-Fried to a medium-security prison near San Francisco because his notoriety, his association with vast wealth, his autism and his social awkwardness will likely make him particularly vulnerable at a high level. -security system.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Roos had recommended it a prison sentence of 40-50 years, stating that it was the only way to ensure that “the defendant does not do it again”.

Prosecutors said tens of thousands of people and companies around the world have lost billions of dollars since 2017 after Bankman-Fried raided the accounts of FTX clients he promised were safe to make millions of dollars from political donations illegal, bribe Chinese officials, make risky investments, buy luxury properties. property in the Caribbean and live lavishly.

Kaplan agreed with prosecutors on Thursday that Bankman-Fried should not be credited because some investors and clients could recover money. He noted that customers lost about $8 billion, investors lost $1.7 billion and lenders were short $1.3 billion.

When he spoke, Bankman-Fried stood up and apologized with a rambling statement: “A lot of people feel really let down. And they were very disappointed. And I’m sorry about that. I am sorry for what happened at every stage.”

He added: “My useful life is probably over. It’s been over for a while now, since before my arrest.”

Wearing his khaki prison uniform and shackled at the ankles, Bankman-Fried appeared to become briefly emotional as he spoke for about 20 minutes, expressing regret for “many mistakes” but placing blame on others. His signature messy, thick hair had returned from the more polished look he displayed at the trial.

He praised some of his former managers and co-workers, saying: “They threw themselves and I threw everything away. It haunts me every day.

Kaplan later criticized Bankman-Fried’s remarks, saying he had “never expressed a word of remorse for committing terrible crimes.”

As his bleary-eyed client looked on, defense attorney Marc Mukasey said the portrayal of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate as an “arrogant, greedy scammer who thought he could get away with stealing hard-earned money from working people hard” was wrong. .

“Sam was not a ruthless financial serial killer who set out to hurt people every morning,” Mukasey said in court after urging in court documents that any prison sentence be in the single digits. “Sam Bankman-Fried doesn’t make decisions with malice in his heart. He makes decisions with mathematics in mind.

The judge later criticized Bankman-Fried’s calculations, saying he was really “a math nerd, looking at decisions in terms of math, expected value.”

He cited trial testimony in which Bankman-Fried’s ex-girlfriend and fellow executive, Caroline Ellison, said that Bankman-Fried had once told her that his willingness to accept risk was such that he would be happy to flip a coin if it came up tails and the world was. destroyed: as long as he came out heads, the world would be twice as beautiful.

The judge said Bankman-Fried used this risk-taking nature in his companies, “betting on expected value” and weighing the risk of getting caught with the likelihood of large gains.

“That was the game,” Kaplan said. “It’s his nature.”

Bankman-Fried’s lawyers, friends and family had urged clemency, saying he was unlikely to commit the crime again. They also said that FTX investors have largely recovered their funds, a claim disputed by bankruptcy lawyers, FTX and its creditors.

“Mr. Bankman-Fried continues to live a life of illusion,” wrote John Ray, the FTX CEO who cleaned up the bankrupt company. “The ‘business’ he left on November 11, 2022 was not neither solvent nor safe.”

An FTX client, Sunil Kavuri, spoke during the sentencing, saying he had traveled from London on behalf of more than 200 victims who had submitted impact statements to the judge.

He said he had spoken to other “victims like me, whose dreams have been shattered” and that he had lived “the nightmare of FTX every day for almost two years, every day, every night, many sleepless, crying nights.”

Bankman-Fried’s parents, both Stanford Law School professors, did not speak as they left the courthouse Thursday, but later issued a statement: “We are heartbroken and will continue to fight for our son.”

Bankman-Fried, of Palo Alto, California, was once worth billions of dollars on paper as co-founder and CEO of FTX, which was once the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange.

FTX allows investors to purchase dozens of virtual currencies, from Bitcoin to more obscure ones like Shiba Inu Coin. With billions of dollars in investor cash, Bankman-Fried ran a Super Bowl ad to promote his business and bought the naming rights to an arena in Miami.

But the collapse of cryptocurrency prices in 2022 it took its toll on FTX, ultimately leading to its downfall. FTX’s hedge fund affiliate, Alameda Research, had purchased billions of dollars of various cryptocurrency investments that lost significant amounts of value in 2022. Bankman-Fried tried to plug holes in Alameda’s balance sheet with client funds by FTX.

Three people from Bankman-Fried’s inner circle pleaded guilty to related crimes and testified at the trial.

In addition to Ellison, two former friends of Bankman-Fried – Gary Wang and Nishad Singh – testified that they believed they were directed by Bankman-Fried to commit fraud.



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We are the editorial team of FinCrypt, where seriousness meets clarity in cryptocurrency analysis. With a robust team of finance and blockchain technology experts, we are dedicated to meticulously exploring complex crypto markets with detailed assessments and an unbiased approach. Our mission is to democratize access to knowledge of emerging financial technologies, ensuring they are understandable and accessible to all. In every article on FinCrypt, we strive to provide content that not only educates, but also empowers our readers, facilitating their integration into the financial digital age.

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Block Investors Need More to Assess Crypto Unit’s Earnings Potential, Analysts Say — TradingView News

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DeFi Lending Protocol Nexo Allocates $12 Million for Ecosystem Incentives — TradingView News

Block, a payments technology company led by Jack Dorsey square could become a formidable player in the cryptocurrency mining industry, but Wall Street will need details on profit margins to gauge the positive impact of the business on earnings, analysts said.

Block signed its first large-scale cryptocurrency mining hardware pact on Wednesday, agreeing to supply its chips to bitcoin miner Core Scientific CORZbut no financial details were disclosed.

JP Morgan estimates the deal could net Block between $225 million and $300 million, but said more information will be needed to assess the hardware business’s long-term earnings potential.

“We still have a lot to learn in terms of the margins of this business, so we are hesitant to underwrite this transaction until we know more about the cadence and economics,” J.P. Morgan said.

The deal marks a major step for the payments company, which started out as “Square” in 2009 before rebranding in 2021 in a nod to its focus on crypto and blockchain technologies.

Dorsey, who co-founded and ran Twitter (now known as “X”), has long been bullish on Bitcoin. Block began investing 10% of its monthly gross profit from Bitcoin products into Bitcoin in April.

In the first quarter, nearly 9% of the company’s cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities consisted of bitcoin.

“This development (the deal with Core Scientific) is further evidence of Block’s role as an emerging leader in the crypto hardware ecosystem,” Macquarie analysts Paul Golding and Emma Liang wrote in a note.

Analysts say similar deals to follow could further validate Block’s reputation in the industry.

But J.P. Morgan said the stock’s performance will be determined by Block’s other segments, such as Square and Cash App.

Block shares have lost nearly 17% this year.

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This Thursday’s US Consumer Price Index could be a game-changer for cryptocurrencies!

FinCrypt Staff

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This Thursday's US Consumer Price Index could be a game-changer for cryptocurrencies!

3:30 PM ▪ 4 minute read ▪ by Luc Jose A.

This Thursday, attention will be focused on the United States with the anticipated release of the Consumer Price Index (CPI). This economic indicator could trigger significant movements in the markets, especially for the U.S. dollar and cryptocurrencies. While investors remain vigilant, speculation is rife about the potential impact of these key figures.

The Consumer Price Index: The Cornerstone of the American Economy

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a key measure of inflation which reflects changes in the price of goods and services purchased by American households. This index is calculated monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and serves as a barometer for the cost of living. The consumer price index covers a wide range of products, including food, clothing, housing, health care, and entertainment. Economists and policy makers closely monitor this data to anticipate economic trends and adjust monetary policies accordingly.

The June CPI data is due to be released this Thursday at 2:30 p.m., and is highly anticipated by investors. The current consensus is for headline annual inflation to decline to 3.1%, from 3.3% the previous month, while core inflation is expected to remain stable at 3.4%.

Consumer Price Index Release: What Does It Mean for the Dollar and Bitcoin?

Inflation as measured by the consumer price index is a key determinant of the value of the US dollar. If the consumer price index declines more than expected, it could reinforce expectations of a rate cut by the Federal Reserve in September, thus weakening the dollar. A weaker dollar could benefit GBP/USD, which recently broke a major resistance level, and Bitcoin, which could see its price rise due to increased demand from institutional investors.

Current forecasts suggest that headline inflation will decline to 3.1%, with core inflation holding steady at 3.4%. However, a surprise increase in the consumer price index could upset these expectations. Fed Governor Lisa Cook has mentioned the possibility of a soft landing for the economy, with inflation falling without a significant increase in unemployment, which could lead the Fed to consider rate cuts. This outlook is particularly favorable for stock markets and cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, which could benefit from a more accommodative monetary policy.

According to experts at 10x Research, especially their CEO Markus Thielen, Bitcoin could see a significant increase if the CPI data confirms a decline in inflation. Thielen indicated that Bitcoin could reach almost $60,000, a prediction that has already been reflected with a rise to $59,350 before the data was released.

Therefore, Thursday’s CPI data could determine the future direction of financial and cryptocurrency markets. High inflation could strengthen the US Dollarwhile a drop in inflation could pave the way for rate cuts by the Fed, thus giving a boost to Bitcoin and other digital assets.

Enhance your Cointribune experience with our Read to Earn program! Earn points for every article you read and access exclusive rewards. Sign up now and start earning rewards.

Click here to join “Read to Earn” and turn your passion for cryptocurrencies into rewards!

Avatar of Luc Jose A.Avatar of Luc Jose A.

Luke Jose A.

A graduate of Sciences Po Toulouse and holder of a blockchain consultant certification issued by Alyra, I joined the Cointribune adventure in 2019. Convinced of the potential of blockchain to transform many sectors of the economy, I am committed to raising awareness and informing the general public about this ever-evolving ecosystem. My goal is to enable everyone to better understand blockchain and seize the opportunities it offers. Every day, I strive to provide an objective analysis of the news, decipher market trends, convey the latest technological innovations and put into perspective the economic and social issues of this ongoing revolution.

DISCLAIMER

The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and should not be construed as investment advice. Do your own research before making any investment decisions.



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Crowd Expects Bitcoin Bounce Suggests Further Losses, As RCO Finance Resists Crash

FinCrypt Staff

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Crowd Expects Bitcoin Bounce Suggests Further Losses, As RCO Finance Resists Crash

Bitcoin is seeing a rebound after its recent price crash to $53,000. Other altcoins are subsequently recovering, with many cryptocurrency investors increasingly making new entries. However, Santiment warned against this hopium, suggesting that Bitcoin could extend its price losses.

As the broader market anticipates Bitcoin’s next price action, RCO Finance (RCOF) demonstrates resilience, attracting thousands of people in influxes. Read on for more details!

RCO Finance challenges the market crisis

RCO Finance (RCOF) is approaching $1 million in funding raised, amid growing interest from institutional traders seeking stability from Bitcoin’s wild price swings. While much of the broader market has seen significant price losses, RCO Finance has remained resilient, experiencing a surge in its pre-sale orders.

As a result, the project seems oblivious to the current market conditions, leading top market experts to take a deep dive into its ecosystem. They identified why RCO Finance was able to withstand the bearish pressure and its potential to hold up even stronger during the impending broader market crash.

The main reason was related to the innovative use of RCO Finance AI Trading Tools as a Robo Advisor. This tool has been integrated into RCO Finance’s cryptocurrency trading platform, offering full automation and highly accurate market forecasts to help investors make informed decisions.

Read on to learn more about this tool and other exciting features of RCO Finance!

Bitcoin Bounces Amid Impending Crash

Bitcoin is bouncing back, rallying 8% after plunging to its lowest point since February on July 5. While this rebound has triggered a bullish wave in the broader market, many cryptocurrency analysts predict it could be short-lived as Bitcoin is poised for an imminent crash toward the $50,000 zone.

On a Post X (formerly Twitter)Santiment revealed that while the crowd is anticipating a Bitcoin rally, this potential crash could trigger FUD and panic, causing average traders to wither and give up on Bitcoin. The platform noted that Bitcoin rally has historically occurred after these weak hands sold their holdings.

In particular, these cryptocurrency analysts speculate that the previous and upcoming Bitcoin crash is largely the result of bearish market psychology, as opposed to large BTC sell-offs by the German government and Mt. Gox. In particular, Ki Young Ju, founder and CEO of CryptoQuant, noticed that “the sales were rather negligible, given the overall liquidity of Bitcoin.”

Enjoy seamless investing on RCO Finance

RCO Finance is making investing easier and easier, democratizing access to high-level tools and cryptocurrency earnings that were once reserved for professional and institutional investors. It has also prioritized accessibility, allowing investors of all levels to easily navigate its features through its intuitive interface.

Additionally, they can also maintain anonymity and privacy as the platform has no KYC requirements. To build trust, the platform has instead emphasized regular smart contract audits by respected security firm SolidProof.

Performance data shows massive adoption, indicating that it is doing its job effectively. Investors can also capitalize on RCO Finance’s fast transaction speeds and incredibly low transaction fees, with leverage options up to 1000x to further optimize their portfolios and maximize returns.

Leverage RCO Finance’s pre-sale earnings

An in-depth analysis of the RCO Finance ecosystem revealed that it has strong potential to rival and surpass major cryptocurrencies in the cryptocurrency industry. With a very limited total token supply and excellent tokenomics, RCO Finance is poised to reach its target of $1 billion in market cap upon its official launch.

RCO Finance has adopted a deflationary model, strategic burn mechanisms, and a vesting schedule. However, the project encourages long-term holding by focusing on sustained growth through incredibly high staking rewards.

RCOF tokens are currently available at an altcoin price of $0.01275 in progress Pre-sale Phase 1. This is likely the lowest price these coins will ever trade at, as they are expected to increase exponentially with each new presale phase.

With RCOF expected to be $0.4 at launch, investors jumping in now can expect a Return 30x on their investment!

For more information on RCO Finance (RCOF) presale:

Visit RCO Finance Pre-sale

Join the RCO Financial Community

Disclaimer: The statements, views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily represent those of Crypto Reporter. Crypto Reporter is not responsible for the reliability, quality and accuracy of any material in this article. This article is provided for educational purposes only. Crypto Reporter is not responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article. Do your own research and invest at your own risk.



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Bitget Ranks Third Among Cryptocurrency Exchanges by Capital Inflows in Q2

FinCrypt Staff

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bitget

Although Bitget is not the largest cryptocurrency exchange in terms of total volumes, it closed a favorable quarter. From April to June, the platform ranked third in net capital inflows and showed the strongest growth in market share compared to its competitors.

In the second quarter, investors moved $700 million into Bitget, and activity on the platform increased by nearly 50%.

The exchange has seen a surge in user funds, with Bitcoin (BTC), Tether (USDT), and Ethereum (ETH) rising 73%, 80%, and 153%, respectively, in the first six months of the year. This growth coincided with adding 2.9 million new users to the platform.

This has positioned Bitget among the top exchanges with the highest positive net inflows in the last quarter. Only Binance, which remains the market leader, and Bitfinex have performed better in this category.

According to CCData’s latest H2 Outlook Report, the exchange also recorded the highest market share growth among centralized exchanges, increasing 38.4% from H2 2023 to H1 2024.

Bitget’s spot trading volume has also seen a visible increase, going from $28 billion in Q1 to $32 billion in Q2, marking an increase of over 10%. The platform’s monthly visitors have reached 10 million. Although its volumes are increasing, Bitget still does not rank among the top 10 cryptocurrency exchanges in terms of spot trading.

The changes taking place in the centralized cryptocurrency exchange market show that competition is becoming more and more intenseAn example of this is the recent surge in popularity of Bybit, which has become the second largest exchange in terms of spot trading volumes.

Sports Sponsorships and New Products

Gracy Chen, Source: LinkedIn

Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget, commented on the quarterly performance, saying, “Q2 2024 was a pivotal period for Bitget. Our collaboration with Turkish athletes, along with significant growth in users and website traffic, is part of our global expansion.”

In an effort to expand its global presence, Bitget has partnered with three Turkish national athletes as part of its #MakeItCount campaign, starring Lionel Messi. The deal with the famous footballer It was signed in Februaryto build brand presence in Latin America.

The exchange also launched a $20 million TON Ecosystem Fund in partnership with Foresight Ventures to support early-stage projects on The Open Network.

The exchange introduced two new initial token listing products, PoolX and Pre-market, which collectively launched over 100 projects. Additionally, Bitget’s native token, BGB, was recognized as the best-performing centralized exchange token in June and was ranked among the top 10 cryptocurrencies by Forbes.

In its latest move, the cryptocurrency exchange aimed to become a regulated player in IndiaThe announcement comes as the world’s most populous democracy grapples with the complexities of integrating cryptocurrencies into its financial ecosystem.

Even recently,
Bitget Wallet Announced a joint investment with cryptocurrency investment firm Foresight X in Tomarket, a decentralized trading platform. This initiative targets emerging asset classes and aims to expand the portfolio’s services beyond traditional decentralized exchanges (DEXs).

Although Bitget is not the largest cryptocurrency exchange in terms of total volumes, it closed a favorable quarter. From April to June, the platform ranked third in net capital inflows and showed the strongest growth in market share compared to its competitors.

In the second quarter, investors moved $700 million into Bitget, and activity on the platform increased by nearly 50%.

The exchange has seen a surge in user funds, with Bitcoin (BTC), Tether (USDT), and Ethereum (ETH) rising 73%, 80%, and 153%, respectively, in the first six months of the year. This growth coincided with adding 2.9 million new users to the platform.

This has positioned Bitget among the top exchanges with the highest positive net inflows in the last quarter. Only Binance, which remains the market leader, and Bitfinex have performed better in this category.

According to CCData’s latest H2 Outlook Report, the exchange also recorded the highest market share growth among centralized exchanges, increasing 38.4% from H2 2023 to H1 2024.

Bitget’s spot trading volume has also seen a visible increase, going from $28 billion in Q1 to $32 billion in Q2, marking an increase of over 10%. The platform’s monthly visitors have reached 10 million. Although its volumes are increasing, Bitget still does not rank among the top 10 cryptocurrency exchanges in terms of spot trading.

The changes taking place in the centralized cryptocurrency exchange market show that competition is becoming increasingly intenseAn example of this is the recent surge in popularity of Bybit, which has become the second largest exchange in terms of spot trading volumes.

Sports Sponsorships and New Products

Gracy Chen, Source: LinkedIn

Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget, commented on the quarterly performance, saying, “Q2 2024 was a pivotal period for Bitget. Our collaboration with Turkish athletes, along with significant growth in users and website traffic, is part of our global expansion.”

In an effort to expand its global presence, Bitget has partnered with three Turkish national athletes as part of its #MakeItCount campaign, starring Lionel Messi. The deal with the famous footballer It was signed in Februaryto build brand presence in Latin America.

The exchange also launched a $20 million TON Ecosystem Fund in partnership with Foresight Ventures to support early-stage projects on The Open Network.

The exchange introduced two new initial token listing products, PoolX and Pre-market, which collectively launched over 100 projects. Additionally, Bitget’s native token, BGB, was recognized as the best-performing centralized exchange token in June and was ranked among the top 10 cryptocurrencies by Forbes.

In its latest move, the cryptocurrency exchange aimed to become a regulated player in IndiaThe announcement comes as the world’s most populous democracy grapples with the complexities of integrating cryptocurrencies into its financial ecosystem.

Even recently,
Bitget Wallet Announced a joint investment with cryptocurrency investment firm Foresight X in Tomarket, a decentralized trading platform. This initiative targets emerging asset classes and aims to expand the portfolio’s services beyond traditional decentralized exchanges (DEXs).

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