The crypto community has received a jolt as New Zealand’s crypto exchange, Dasset, has entered liquidation. The news sent tremors through the sector since customers of the Auckland-based exchange found themselves suddenly unable to access their funds. The narrative began to unfold midway through August when The Herald broke the news about Dasset’s predicament. It emerged that several customers had been attempting to withdraw their funds for months, with little to no success.
The CEO of Dasset, Stephen Macaskill, explained that this company had hit a roadblock after its previous banking provider severed ties with the exchange. Now Dasset has initiated voluntary liquidation. Surprisingly, new accounts can still be opened on Dasset, and there has been no official mention of the liquidation process on their popular social media platforms.
This development holds relevance beyond the realm of Dasset’s clientele. It prompts several hard-hitting questions about the security of the cryptography sector, its regulation and the safeguards in place. On Hindsight, a clearer regulatory framework might have deterred this scenario or at least mitigated some of the damage. As per the current legislation, digital assets are considered a form of property in New Zealand and regulated through non-crypto-specific financial, money laundering, and tax guidelines.
However, decisions in the blockchain domain seem to be influenced more by market reactions than regulations, which isn’t unusual in this relatively nascent industry. While New Zealand is grappling with the fallout of the Dasset scenario, the wheels keep turning. There have been efforts towards greater integration with other globally influential crypto entities. For instance, Binance has made inroads into the New Zealand market with newly established offices, post-securing regulatory approval.
Grant Thornton, a renowned law firm, is managing the Dasset exchange’s liquidation process. The dynamics around fluctuating asset values and trade levels might have triggered the unfortunate unraveling of Dasset. The focus, however, stays on securing and protecting Dasset’s assets while attempting to salvage the best possible outcome for all stakeholders – a task easier said than done.
While the crypto-world absorbs the impact of the Dasset scenario, one cannot help but ponder over the apparent vulnerability of stakeholders in the absence of a firmly anchored regulatory framework. Would a more robust system have changed the outcome? Or is the crypto-world essentially a high-risk-high-reward playground? Time, and the bounce-back capacity of the crypto community, shall deliver the verdict.
Source: Cointelegraph
