The crypto market experienced a significant decline with Bitcoin falling under the $27,000 level, as the UK reported its highest core inflation rate since 1992 at 6.8% in April. This comes in higher than both the consensus forecast and March’s 6.2% rate, marking the third consecutive month that UK inflation surpasses expectations. Consequently, this development is anticipated to add to the pressure on the Bank of England to continue raising interest rates in the coming months.
In addition to the UK’s inflation figures, a recent Reuters report about the crypto exchange Binance raised concerns, as it allegedly commingled customer funds with company revenue. According to unnamed “former insiders,” the funds were in the billions of dollars, with commingling occurring almost daily within accounts the exchange held at the collapsed US lender Silvergate Bank. Although there was no evidence found of clients’ funds being lost or taken, Binance’s Chief Communications Officer Patrick Hillmann dismissed the report as weak and filled with conspiracy theories.
In response to the allegations, Hillmann criticized the Reuters journalist for being desperate to publish a negative story. However, he did not outright deny the claims made in the report.
Meanwhile, Japan prepares to implement stricter anti-money laundering measures as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) deemed the country’s existing efforts as insufficient. Starting June 1st, Japan plans to enforce the FATF’s “travel rule,” which was introduced in 2019 to combat money laundering and terrorist financing using cryptocurrencies. The FATF urged its member nations to introduce travel rule legislation as soon as possible by June 2022.
Blockchain data firm IntoTheBlock reported a surge in net inflows of 1,500% in the past 30 days for large holders of Cardano’s ADA cryptocurrency. The increase suggests whale accumulation, with large holders defined as wallets holding at least 0.1% of large market cap cryptocurrencies like ADA.
It’s evident that the crypto market is navigating through complexities surrounding regulatory landscapes, economic factors, and internal practices of leading players in the space. While the advancements of anti-money laundering measures and increasing inflation rates contribute to shifts in the market’s trajectory, the conflicting opinions on the allegations against exchanges like Binance demonstrate the continuing battle between transparency and skepticism in the crypto world.
Source: Coindesk
