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How the richest cryptocurrency billionaire doubled his net worth behind bars

Financial Block Staff

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How the richest cryptocurrency billionaire doubled his net worth behind bars

The Binance founder, known to cryptocurrency followers as CZ, is spending the summer in Santa Barbara’s Lompoc minimum-security prison. As cryptocurrency markets soar, Forbes reveals the secret source of its growing billions.

From Javier PazForbes staff e Steven EhrlichForbes Staff

Prison has been good for Binance founder Changpeng Zhao. Already the richest person to end up behind bars and the richest person in the cryptocurrency world many times over, Zhao’s net worth has soared since he became a criminal.

Forbes now estimates he is worth $61 billion, making him 24thh richest person in the world, immediately after Julia Koch and family. The second richest person in the cryptocurrency industry is Coinbase founder Brian Armstrong with $11 billion.

CZ’s upward revision has two components. First, his 90% stake in Binance, the large cryptocurrency exchange, is valued at $33 billion despite CZ stepping down as CEO in November 2023 as part of a settlement with the US Department of Justice in which pleaded guilty to anti-money laundering. and sanctions violations. His company also paid a $4.3 billion fine to the government. However, the impact on Zhao’s personal wealth was less severe, as he only had to pay a fine of $50 million. In the six months since he asked, Binance has actually increased its dominance among cryptocurrency exchanges worldwide in terms of trading volume (although it was excluded from Forbes’ list of the most trusted cryptocurrency exchanges.) According to data compiled by The Block, his share of the total spot market among exchanges increased to 42% in the six months after he left the company from an average of 38% in the two months before his settlement.

BNB AGAINST BITCOIN AND ETHEREUM

Year-to-date performance through 2024

The big change in CZ’s net worth comes from Forbes’ discovery of his personal holdings in his publicly issued BNB token, which we estimate to be 94 million tokens or 64% of the 147.5 million total BNB tokens in circulation. Forbes estimates that Binance owns 71% of BNB supply.

Despite the exchange’s legal problems, BNB has been in crisis in 2024, rising 100% far outpacing other major cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin (up 54%), ether (up 53%), and solana (up by 49%). BNB recently hit an all-time high of $714, with a market capitalization of $110 billion.

What is BNB? The Binance coin or BNB was initially launched in 2017 as a fundraising tool for CZ to launch its new exchange. Tokens like BNB are created by developers who run crypto projects and are similar to airline mile loyalty points compared to actual stock shares of a company, although they are traded on cryptocurrency exchanges like stocks and are sought after by investors. Tokens like BNB offer no ownership but reward holders, who are often customers, with discounts for trading or as an incentive to recruit new account holders. They are often used, in the words of a former FTX member, whose company led to its dramatic downfall of the FTT token, as a “form of shares because there is no public capital.” The Securities and Exchange Commission appears to agree, as it is currently suing Binance for selling BNB to US customers as an unregistered security.

Changpeng Zhao, 47, built up his BNB stash in two ways. Binance was created in 2017 and he and the founding team received 80 million tokens from a total supply of 200 million BNB. Forbes’ forensic analysis of the wallets that received these tokens, conducted in collaboration with Gray Wolf Analytics, indicates that the company holds 46.2 million of the original 80 million tokens. CZ is credited with 41.6 million BNB from this amount due to its 90% ownership of Binance.

The second component of the Czech Republic’s wealth is more obscure. The results of an investigation published by Forbes and conducted with Gray Wolf in October 2023 revealed that Binance’s ICO was initially undersubscribed, which led CZ and his company to funnel unsold shares into portfolios he controlled. In 2017, Binance claimed to have sold 100 million BNB for $0.15 each, raising a total of $15 million. Our analysis last fall showed that no more than 10.8 million BNB were sold, resulting in a net gain of less than $5 million.

BINANCE OWNERSHIP ON BNB

Current BNB supply: 147.5 million

In its official white paper, which in the cryptocurrency world functions as a pseudo prospectus for ICO investors, Binance did not reveal what would happen to unsold tokens. Ultimately, forensic analysis shows that they were placed in wallets owned by Binance. Today we estimate that these wallets hold 58 million BNB, worth $35 billion at today’s price of $602. CZ’s 90% ownership of Binance would give it just over 52 million additional BNB. In total, we believe he holds nearly 94 million BNB tokens. Lawyers for Binance and CZ did not respond to our requests for comment on CZ’s holdings.

The Binance founder’s holdings are now worth $56.6 billion, but since there is little chance that Zhao could get close to that amount if he tried to sell, Forbes has applied a 50% liquidity discount to his stake. . BNB trading volume currently amounts to approximately $1.6 billion in tokens per day.

Despite claiming to have 200 million customers globally, very little is known about Binance’s internal workings (it has never been audited) and over 53% of all BNB trades take place on the Binance exchange. Over the past month, BNB has gained around 5%, which on paper equates to around $3 billion in earnings for the Binance founder. So while Zhao serves his four-month sentence, soaking up the California sun in the courtyard of Lompoc II Federal Penitentiary, he watches his billions of BNB grow.

MORE FROM FORBES

ForbesThe world’s most trusted cryptocurrency exchanges and marketsBy Javier PazForbesThis Crypto Billionaire’s Fund Could Raise More Than $1 Billion From FTX BankruptcyBy Nina Bambysheva“Elon Doesn’t Care About Tesla Anymore” by Forbes: Musk’s Biggest Fans Blame Him by Alan OhnsmanForbes Desperate for power, AI companies look to Alan Ohnsman’s nuclear option

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Bitcoin, Ethereum See Red as Markets Crash on Volatility

Financial Block Staff

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Bitcoin, Ethereum See Red as Markets Crash on Volatility

Bitcoin AND Etherealalong with the rest of the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market cap, appear to be in hibernation on Thursday morning.

At the time of writing, the Bitcoin Price is still below $65,000 and 2.2% lower than it was this time yesterday, according to CoinGecko data. Things are worse for the Ethereum Pricewhich is 3.7% lower than 24 hours ago at $3,185.22. The drop in ETH’s price is identical to that of Lido Staked Ethereum (stETH), a liquid staking token for Ethereum.

In recent days, falling prices have led to the liquidation of derivative contracts worth $225 million, according to Coin glassAnd about half of that, about $100 million, was liquidated in the last 12 hours.

When a trader is liquidated, it means that their position in the market has been forcibly closed by an exchange or brokerage due to a margin call or insufficient collateral. Margin is especially important when it comes to leveraged positions, which allow traders to control a multiple of their deposit, such as opening a $10,000 position with only $1,000 in their account.

Now that Bitcoin has been in the red for three days in a row, there is a chance that the world’s oldest and largest cryptocurrency could sink even further, BRN analyst Valentin Fournier said in a note shared with Decrypt.

“Bitcoin has closed in the red for three days in a row, with one-way trading showing limited resistance from bulls. Ethereum had a slightly positive Monday with strong resistance from bears who have won the last two days,” he wrote. “This momentum could take BTC to the $62,500 resistance or even the $58,000 territories.”

Looking ahead, Fournier said BRN’s strategy will be to “reduce exposure to Bitcoin and Ethereum and find a better entry point after the dip.”

This is despite Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s comments yesterday on interest rates being widely regarded as accommodating and indicative of FOMC rate cuts in September.

Singapore-based cryptocurrency trading firm QCP Capital said the rally in stocks, which sent the S&P 500 up 1.6% from Wednesday’s close, was not felt in cryptocurrency markets.

“Cryptocurrencies have seen a broad sell-off overnight and into this morning,” the firm wrote in a trading note. “The market remains poised as traders pay close attention to daily ETH ETF outflows and further supply pressure from Mt Gox and the US government.”

Meanwhile, the other top-ranking coins are showing mixed performance.

Solana (SOL) is down 7.2% since yesterday to $169.13. Things are even worse for its most popular meme coins. In the past 24 hours, the most popular meme coins Dogwifhat (WIF) are down 12% and BONK (BONK) is down 9%, according to CoinGecko data.

Their dog-themed competitor, Ethereum OG Dogecoin (DOGE), the only meme coin in Coingecko’s top 10, is down nearly 4% since yesterday and is currently trading at $0.1205.

XRP (XRP) dropped to $0.608, which is 7% lower than it was at this time yesterday.

Binance’s BNB Coin (BNB) has kept pace with BTC and is currently trading at $571, down 2.4% from yesterday. Toncoin (TON), the native token of The Open Network, is down just 0.4% over the past day.

This leaves the stablecoins USDC (USDC) and Tether (USDT), both of which are stable as they maintain their 1:1 ratio with the US dollar.

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XRP Market Activity Drops During Ripple-SEC Talks: Price Steady

Financial Block Staff

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Ripple (XRP) Market Witnesses Calm During SEC-Ripple Meeting

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will hold another closed-door meeting with Ripple on Thursday, as the market hopes for a possible resolution to the legal battle between the two entities.

However, the cryptocurrency market remains relatively bearish, with the price and trading volume of XRP down in the last 24 hours.

Ripple holders take no risk

At press time, XRP is trading at $0.60. The altcoin’s price has dropped 6% over the past 24 hours. During that time, trading volume was $27 million, down 27%.

The SEC met before with the digital payment company on July 25. While the outcome of that meeting remains unknown, the Sunshine Act Notice for Thursday’s meeting includes one additional topic of discussion from the July 25 closed meeting: the instituting and resolving injunctive relief. That has market participants speculating whether a settlement is imminent.

In an exclusive interview with BeinCrypto, Ryan Lee, Lead Analyst at Bitget Research, noted that:

“This meeting will discuss possible resolution options for the Ripple Lawsuit. The founder of Ripple Labs said that a legal settlement could be announced soon. If an official settlement plan is released, it could positively impact XRP’s price movement.”

However, an assessment of XRP’s price movements on a 4-hour chart shows a spike in bearish bias as the market awaits the outcome of this crucial meeting. Its Moving Average Convergence/Divergence (MACD) indicator readings show that its MACD line (blue) has crossed below its signal line (orange).

XRP 4 Hours Analysis. Source: Trading View

Traders use this indicator to gauge price trends, momentum, and potential buying and selling opportunities in the market. When an asset’s MACD is set this way, it is a bearish signal that suggests selling activity is outweighing buying momentum.

Additionally, the altcoin relative strength index (RSI), at 46.08, is currently below its neutral 50 line and in a downtrend. This indicator measures overbought and oversold market conditions for an asset.

To know more: How to Buy XRP and Everything You Need to Know

xrp rsi XRP 4 Hours Analysis. Source: Trading View

At 43.83 at the time of writing, XRP’s RSI suggests a growing preference among the market participants for tokin distribution.

XRP Price Prediction: Derivatives Traders Exit Market

The XRP derivatives market has also seen a decline in trading activity over the past 24 hours. According to Coinglass, derivatives trading volume has plummeted 18% and open interest has dropped 10% during that period.

Open interest refers to the total number of outstanding derivative contracts, such as options or futurethat have not yet been resolved. When it drops, traders close their positions without opening new ones. This is a bearish signal that reflects a lack of confidence in any potential positive price movement.

According to Lee, the outcome of the meeting with the SEC “would have a significant impact on the price movement of the token.” If the outcome is favorable, the price of the token could rise towards $0.75 in August.

To know more: Ripple (XRP) Price Prediction 2024/2025/2030

XRP Price PredictionXRP 4 Hours Analysis. Source: Trading View

On the other hand, if no favorable resolutions are reached, the price could plummet to $0.50.

Disclaimer

In line with the Trust Project guidelines, this price analysis article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice. BeInCrypto strives to provide accurate and unbiased reporting, but market conditions are subject to change without notice. Always conduct your own research and consult a professional before making any financial decisions. Please note that our Terms and conditions, Privacy PolicyAND Disclaimers They have been updated.

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Bitcoin’s Dominance Hits Three-Year High, But Analysts Say Altcoins Are Ready to Rebound

Financial Block Staff

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Bitcoin's Dominance Hits Three-Year High, But Analysts Say Altcoins Are Ready to Rebound

Bitcoin is now the dominant force in the cryptocurrency market, surpassing 53% of the total cryptocurrency market, a stronger share than it has been in the past three years.

Bitcoin’s market cap now stands at $1.27 trillion, second according to CoinGecko data. In contrast, the total cryptocurrency market cap is $2.43 trillion, with Ethereum occupying 15.9% of the market, worth $389 billion.

Bitcoin’s rise to dominance this year is unusual, as altcoins typically do better than Bitcoin in a bull market. While meme coins made a strong comeback during Bitcoin’s rally to all-time highs earlier this year, the so-called “wealth effect” It has not been appreciated as much by mid-range coins, such as Ethereum and Cardano.

“ETF flows fundamentally alter market dynamics,” he wrote Meltem Demirors, former chief strategy officer at CoinShares, tweeted Wednesday: “BTC gains no longer translate to alts and the longer tail of crypto.”

Bitcoin’s takeover has continued even as the market cap of Tether (USDT) continues to grow, the world’s largest stablecoin and the third-largest cryptocurrency after BTC and ETH. Stablecoins are backed by fiat currencies and are excluded from some measures of Bitcoin dominance due to fundamentally different value models.

The surge continued to pace even after the launch of Ethereum spot ETFs last week, which ironically culminated in a news sell-off event, and net outflows from new investment products since they were launched. This went against the predictions of K33 Search so far, which predicted that ETFs would catalyze ETH’s growth over the next five months.

Despite the poorer performance of the alts, there is reason to believe that they are ready to bounce back very soon.

CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju said Tuesday that whales are “preparing for the next altcoin rally,” as limit buy orders for assets other than BTC and ETH are on the rise.

The executive shared a chart showing how the “cumulative difference between purchase volume and sales volume” has increased in recent months.

“The indicator measures the difference between buy and sell orders over a year,” CryptoQuant told Decrypt. A buy/sell order is a pre-set request to buy or sell a cryptocurrency if it hits a certain price level, which creates resistance and support levels.

“If the trend is up, it means that more people are placing buy orders, showing strong interest in buying,” CryptoQuant said.

By Ryan-Ozawa.

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XRP and SOL Retrace as BTC Price Drops to 2-Week Lows (Market Watch)

Financial Block Staff

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Bitcoin Returns Toward $60K, XRP Defy Negative Sentiment (Market Watch)

After Monday’s crash, in which BTC fell by several thousand dollars, the scenario has repeated itself once again in the last 12 hours, with the asset falling to a 2-week low of $63,300.

Alt coins followed suit, with most of the market in the red today. SOL and XRP lead the way from the higher cap alts.

BTC Drops To $63.3K

After a violent Thursday last week, when BTC crashed to $63,400, the asset went on the offensive over the weekend and surged above $69,000 on Saturday, as the community prepared for Donald Trump’s appearance at the 2024 Bitcoin Conference in Nashville.

His speech was followed by more volatility before the cryptocurrency settled around $67,500 on Sunday. Monday started off rather optimistically for the bulls as bitcoin hit a 7-week high of $70,000.

However, he failed to maintain his run and conquer that level decisively. On the contrary, he was rejected bad and dropped to $66,400 by the end of Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday were less eventful as BTC remained still around $66,500.

The last 12 hours or so have brought another crash. Bears have pushed the leading digital asset down hard, which has fallen to a 2-week low of $63,300 (on Bitstamp), leaving over $200 million in liquidations.

Despite the current rebound to $64,500, BTC’s market cap has fallen to $1.270 trillion, but its dominance over alts is recovering and has reached 52.6%.

Bitcoin/Price/Chart 01.08.2024. Source: TradingView

The Alts are back in red

Ripple’s native token has been at the forefront of the market challenge in recent days as pumped up to a multi-month high of over $0.66. However, its run was also interrupted and XPR fell by more than 6% in the last day to $0.6.

The other big loser among the larger-cap alternatives is SOL, which has lost 8% of its value and is now struggling to get below $170.

The rest of this altcoin cohort is also in the red, with ETH, DOGE, BNB, AVAX, ADA, SHIB, and LINK all seeing drops between 2 and 5%.

The total cryptocurrency market cap lost another $70 billion overnight, falling below $2.4 trillion today on CG.

Cryptocurrency Market Overview. Source: QuantifyCrypto SPECIAL OFFER (sponsored)
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