<figure> 
 <figcaption>
   Cover image via <a href="https://u.today/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">U.Today</a> 
 </figcaption> 
</figure> 
<p>Binance, the uncontested titan of the cryptocurrency world, is now grappling with a series of legal and operational calamities that have raised questions about its future. According to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/finance/currencies/the-worlds-biggest-crypto-firm-is-melting-down-338b8e17" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">a report by the Wall Street Journal</a>, which cites anonymous sources, Changpeng Zhao (commonly known as CZ) and his colossal crypto exchange could face criminal charges from the U.S. Justice Department following a prolonged investigation.</p> 
<h2 id="shrugging-off-binance-s-woes">Shrugging off Binance's woes</h2> 
<p>Post the crash of <a href="https://u.today/breaking-ftx-allowed-to-sell-34-billion-worth-of-sol-xrp-eth-btc-and-other-coins" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">FTX</a>, Binance seemed destined to inherit the crypto world, but the tables have turned less than a year later. The company is experiencing a profound shakeup with more than a dozen senior executives departing, and significant layoffs underway to mitigate costs.&nbsp;</p> 
<p>Despite these setbacks, some voices within the industry, like Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan, perceive the situation with skepticism. In a <a href="https://twitter.com/Matt_Hougan/status/1706719500455100743" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">recent post</a> on the X social media platform, he opined that the crypto world is resilient, "antifragile," and much larger than any single trading venue.</p> 
<p>Binance’s co-founder, Yi He, remains defiant, assuring in an internal message that they would overcome this phase. This internal turbulence, however, echoes in the form of dwindled employee morale and declining market dominance, handling about half of all direct crypto trades, a significant dip from 70% at the start of the year.</p> 
<h2 id="earlier-reports-of-legal-troubles">Earlier reports of legal troubles</h2> 
<p>Even before the Wall Street Journal’s coverage, the issues Binance is currently facing were in the limelight. Earlier reports <a href="https://u.today/binances-nightmare-doj-mulls-fraud-charges" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">hinted</a> at the DOJ contemplating fraud charges against Binance, prompting concerns about potential consumer fallout and market instability. The unease was not just about potential criminal charges but the domino effect it could have, reminiscent of the bankruptcy of platform FTX.</p> 
<p>CZ and Binance <a href="https://u.today/former-sec-official-binance-gearing-up-for-criminal-prosecution" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">have been in the crosshairs</a> of multiple U.S. agencies, including the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, for allegations ranging from operating an unregistered exchange in the U.S. to manipulation of trades.&nbsp;</p>

Binance's CZ Could Face Criminal Charges: WSJ

Table of Contents

U_Today

Other articles published on Sep 26, 2023

Immunefi launches on-chain bug bounties through ‘Vaults’ system

🗒 Daily Newsletter | Tuesday, September 19th, 2023

The Convergence of TradFi and DeFi: A Path to Mass Crypto Adoption

JPMorgan’s subsidiary Chase UK to restrict crypto transactions

TSLA Stock Most Profitable in EV; Will LCID, NIO, CHPT Surge too?

Ripple Ex-Partner MoneyGram Unveils New Crypto Wallet With Stellar

Join our free newsletter for daily crypto updates!