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    ‘We allowed Alameda to withdraw unlimited funds’ — Gary Wang at SBF trial

    According to reports from Inner City Press, Wang addressed the courtroom on Oct. 5 following testimony from former FTX developer Adam Yedidia and Paradigm co-founder Matt Huang. The former CTO reportedly admitted to committing crimes during his time at FTX with the help of Bankman-Fried, former Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison and former FTX engineering director Nishad Singh.Continue Reading on Coin Telegraph More

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    How will CBDCs be used for political oppression in your country?

    Unfortunately, those claims may not match reality, because there are two characteristics of CBDCs that their proponents don’t often mention. First, they offer an eternal trail of data about how you’re spending your money. Secondly, they are subject to “programmability,” which means political leaders will have the ability to dictate whether you’re even allowed to spend your money.Continue Reading on Coin Telegraph More

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    Bitcoin’s bearish trend persists despite slight uptick

    Earlier in the week, despite an initial bullish candle closure, Bitcoin couldn’t sustain its upward momentum. This led to an expected sideways movement within the $27,000-$28,000 range for the week. The weekly chart reveals low trading volume, suggesting that Bitcoin is likely consolidating without major fluctuations.Buyers may anticipate a midterm reversal if Bitcoin can ascend and maintain a value above the $29,000 threshold. As of Thursday, Bitcoin is valued at $27,593.This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C. More

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    Chainlink price holds steady after September surge, buoyed by whale activity

    Whale transactions, those conducted by large-scale investors, have reached a three-month high. This activity has had a significant influence on the price of Chainlink, as whales holding 86 million LINK and controlling 51% of the total supply have been dictating price movements. It’s been observed that price increases often follow periods of accumulation by these large-scale investors.The Relative Strength Index (RSI), a momentum oscillator used to gauge the speed and change of price movements, is indicating bullishness above 50 for Chainlink. This suggests a strong buying pressure among investors.The current support line for Chainlink stands at $7.4. A bounce back from this support line could lead to a recovery towards $8.01. However, if the price breaks below this line, it could cause a drop to $6.9.The recent performance of Chainlink underscores the impact that whale transactions can have on cryptocurrency prices. As we continue to monitor the market, the behavior of these large-scale investors will remain a key factor in Chainlink’s future performance.This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C. More

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    Binance’s ICO under scrutiny amid regulatory lawsuits and alleged discrepancies

    In response to the underwhelming ICO, Binance reportedly increased allocations for angel investors such as Matthew Roszak and Roger Ver. This move has raised questions about the company’s fundraising claims. Changpeng Zhao, Binance’s founder and CEO, had previously announced that the firm raised $15 million through the ICO. However, these investigations suggest that the actual figure was closer to $5 million.The distribution of BNB and Binance’s proof-of-reserves have also come under scrutiny. Deso, a pseudonymous cryptocurrency researcher, has pointed out discrepancies in Binance’s transparency report which shares its hot and cold wallet addresses. Issues have also arisen regarding the ‘Binance-pegged Binance Dollar’.These revelations come at a time when Binance is already facing legal and regulatory challenges. The company is currently dealing with a lawsuit from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and another from the Commodities Future Trading Commission (CFTC). These lawsuits add to the growing concerns around Binance’s operations and its token offering.This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C. More

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    Ledger lays off 12% of staff, citing ‘macroeconomic headwinds’

    In an Oct. 5 blog post, Gauthier said the staff cuts had been made “for the longevity of the business,” citing the 2022 bear market and the collapse of firms including FTX and Voyager Digital. Based on data from LinkedIn, Ledger may have had around 734 employees at the time of publication, suggesting that roughly 88 people may have lost their jobs.Continue Reading on Coin Telegraph More

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    FTX customers are still grappling with crypto platform’s collapse

    LONDON (Reuters) – For Lee Rees, 43, FTX was one of a handful of exchanges on which the London-based cryptocurrency trader earned a good living, profiting off fleeting price differences across the crypto market.     When FTX collapsed last year, it took $100,000 of Rees’ money, around half his annual income, with it.     “It affected my life,” he said. “I had a life to pay for. It’s like your boss doesn’t pay you. You can’t live, can you?”     Rees is one of more than an estimated 1 million customers potentially facing losses after FTX, one of the largest crypto exchanges at the time, suddenly collapsed and filed for bankruptcy in November. It soon emerged that customer funds had gone missing.     FTX founder and former-CEO Sam Bankman-Fried is accused of embezzling $10 billion from unsuspecting customers to prop up his hedge fund Alameda Research, buy luxury properties and fund political donations. His trial began in New York this week. On Wednesday, Bankman-Fried’s attorney told the court his client had overlooked risk management but did not steal customer money. Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to the charges.     Prosecutors are calling some FTX customers to testify that they were told their assets were safe, and to share how FTX’s collapse affected them. Customers Reuters spoke with said they have created support groups to help each another navigate the complex bankruptcy claims process, while others said they have been targeted by scammers promising to retrieve their cash.     And some – undeterred – are back on the crypto roller coaster.    “As the crypto market has recovered, many FTX customers are concluding that they can sell their claim, buy crypto again, and do much better than letting their claim depreciate,” said Matthew Sedigh, CEO of Xclaim, a bankruptcy claims exchange.BACK IN THE MARKET    The crypto industry grew rapidly during 2020 and 2021 but in 2022 token prices plummeted as interest rates rose and investors moved their money elsewhere, sparking a string of collapses.     Currently, around $30 billion to $35 billion worth of crypto is locked up in cryptocurrency bankruptcies, with around 15 million people affected, according to Xclaim. There was about $16 billion in crypto stuck in FTX when it collapsed, according to Xclaim. John Ray, a specialist hired to handle the bankruptcy, has described failures of financial record-keeping within FTX, and customer funds being used to buy homes and other personal items for FTX staff. This makes the bankruptcy process complicated.    Rees submitted his claim via a website created by bankruptcy administrators Kroll, a process he described as a “nightmare”.    “All these terms were so complicated. You need a lawyer to understand it…. We don’t know if we’re getting our money back or not.”Kroll and FTX did not respond to requests for comment sent via email. FTX has recouped $7.3 billion of the missing funds as of April, but people interviewed by Reuters said they had yet to get any money back.    “I think there is a risk that there will be many victims who will find themselves victims again because of this procedure,” said Maxime, a 32-year-old Belgian, who has also found the bankruptcy claims process difficult.     Maxime, who asked Reuters to withhold his full name, said he had a “six-figure” sum on FTX – profit from trading crypto since 2017. “This amount was above all the hope of a better life,” he added. Some creditors Reuters interviewed declined to share evidence of their FTX claims because they contained personal information. Reuters was not able to verify the size of their claims.On Wednesday, prosecutors called Marc Antoine-Julliard, an FTX customer who had about $100,000 worth of assets with FTX. He said he had believed that Bankman-Fried had “wanted to do good.” When asked how he felt when his request to withdraw funds from FTX was not processed just days before FTX filed for bankruptcy, he replied: “Extremely anxious.”‘A GREAT SUPPORT’    Looking for answers, FTX creditors have created support groups. Maxime has joined several, including a Telegram group with 3000 people, he said via email. “We discuss FTX assets, procedures… it’s a great support.”    Sunil Kavuri, a financier who said he lost “seven-figures” on FTX, decided to start posting information about the bankruptcy on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to combat misinformation.     He quickly built a following and says he now receives dozens of messages daily from creditors asking for advice.     “I thought, I have to do something.” The creditors he speaks to are “really angry” and “hurt,” he said. “It’s really sad.”Creditors have also become targets of new scams. Maxime said he had received emails claiming he is eligible to recover his funds which take him to a phishing site. Kavuri said he has been targeted by similar schemes.The bankruptcy process is expected to stretch into 2024 and some creditors, tired of waiting, have sold their claim. Xclaim lists over 2,000 FTX claims for sale, worth around $610 million at last November’s crypto prices, Sedigh said. Maxime, who is sticking with the bankruptcy process, said that if he gets his money back he will continue investing in crypto, but if not then he will stop. He said he will be “more wary” about which platforms he uses but “the industry will survive.” More