Posts from the 'News' Category

Binance cracks down on market makers: What traders need to know now

Binance cracks down on market makers: What traders need to know now

Binance just announced stricter rules for market makers and token issuers, and this move deserves careful attention from anyone watching how crypto markets mature. The exchange now requires projects to disclose their market maker identity, legal entity, and key contract terms covering inventory and fee handling. It explicitly bans profit-sharing and guaranteed-return arrangements between projects and market makers, as well as opaque token lending that permits broad, undefined use of borrowed tokens. These structures often hide incentives that drive manipulative behaviour.

They will also monitor market maker activity more closely, watching for selling that conflicts with vesting schedules, one-sided quote provision, or trading that artificially inflates volume. The platform reserves the right to blacklist firms that engage in these practices. Bloomberg separately notes a prohibition on any revenue-sharing models tied to market-making on Binance. This is not a minor policy tweak. It represents a fundamental shift toward transparency in a part of crypto markets that has long operated in the shadows.

Market makers play a vital role in healthy trading environments. They tighten spreads and provide depth, allowing traders to enter and exit positions without excessive slippage. But when market makers receive payments to pump volumes or support price levels at all costs, they create fake liquidity that misleads traders about real demand. The new Binance rules aim to separate genuine market making from arrangements designed to manufacture the appearance of activity. By forcing disclosure of who the market maker is and what they can do, and by banning profit-sharing and price-manipulation deals, Binance tries to reduce conflicts of interest and wash trading that drew criticism after past market meltdowns. Tokens that relied on aggressive, opaque market making to appear healthier than they truly were could see wider spreads or lower volumes in the near term. Projects with organic demand and clean arrangements may stand out more clearly once the noise fades. This short-term discomfort could actually help investors distinguish between substance and spectacle.

The real test of these new rules will be enforcement. Binance says it will take swift, decisive action against misconduct, including blacklisting market makers. But it remains unclear whether blacklisted entities will be publicly named or only handled internally. Transparency about enforcement would strengthen the credibility of this policy shift. Without public accountability, bad actors could simply migrate to less scrutinised venues while continuing similar practices. Watch how liquidity metrics change, especially for smaller or recently listed tokens. Persistent widening spreads or sharp drops in reported volume could signal that prior activity depended heavily on now-constrained arrangements.

Also, watch whether rival exchanges adopt similar policies or position themselves as more flexible alternatives. If Binance’s stricter stance becomes an industry norm, it could reduce room for aggressive market making across the entire ecosystem, not just on one venue. That would represent meaningful progress toward more honest price discovery.

These changes reflect a necessary evolution in how crypto markets operate. I have seen how opaque arrangements can undermine trust. When market makers and projects hide their relationships, they create information asymmetry that harms retail participants the most. Requiring disclosure does not eliminate all manipulation, but it raises the cost of deceptive behaviour and makes it easier for observers to spot red flags. Banning profit sharing between projects and their market makers removes a powerful incentive to coordinate trades that serve internal interests rather than genuine supply and demand. This aligns with a broader principle I hold: decentralised systems work best when incentives are transparent and aligned with long-term network health, not short-term price engineering.

That said, I approach these rules with measured optimism. Regulation and self-regulation in crypto must balance market integrity with innovation. Overly rigid constraints could push legitimate market-making activity offshore or into decentralised venues where oversight is minimal. The goal should not be to eliminate market making but to ensure it serves real liquidity needs rather than marketing narratives. Binance’s focus on specific harmful practices, such as front-running token release schedules or providing one-sided quotes, shows a nuanced understanding of where manipulation occurs. This targeted approach is more promising than blanket restrictions that might stifle useful activity. I also believe that traditional financial tests, such as the Howey test, often fail to capture the realities of decentralised systems. Similarly, market-making rules designed for traditional equities may not translate perfectly to crypto. Binance appears to be crafting rules specific to the dynamics of digital asset markets, which is the right direction.

 

Source: https://e27.co/binance-cracks-down-on-market-makers-what-traders-need-to-know-now-20260326/

Anndy Lian is an early blockchain adopter and experienced serial entrepreneur who is known for his work in the government sector. He is a best selling book author- “NFT: From Zero to Hero” and “Blockchain Revolution 2030”.

Currently, he is appointed as the Chief Digital Advisor at Mongolia Productivity Organization, championing national digitization. Prior to his current appointments, he was the Chairman of BigONE Exchange, a global top 30 ranked crypto spot exchange and was also the Advisory Board Member for Hyundai DAC, the blockchain arm of South Korea’s largest car manufacturer Hyundai Motor Group. Lian played a pivotal role as the Blockchain Advisor for Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), an intergovernmental organization committed to improving productivity in the Asia-Pacific region.

An avid supporter of incubating start-ups, Anndy has also been a private investor for the past eight years. With a growth investment mindset, Anndy strategically demonstrates this in the companies he chooses to be involved with. He believes that what he is doing through blockchain technology currently will revolutionise and redefine traditional businesses. He also believes that the blockchain industry has to be “redecentralised”.

www.anndy.com
j j j

Market crash or buying opportunity? What investors need to know now

Market crash or buying opportunity? What investors need to know now

United States indices closed Tuesday with modest losses, relinquishing early gains as crude prices resumed their ascent. The S&P 500 fell 0.37 per cent to 6,556.37, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.84 per cent to 21,761.89, pressured by weakness in software names and the so-called Mag 7 technology leaders. The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 84.41 points, or 0.18 per cent, to settle at 46,124.06. These movements reflect a market grappling with conflicting signals.

De-escalation narratives boost risk appetite while persistent inflation concerns keep the Federal Reserve on a hawkish footing. Technology stocks, which have led gains in prior months, now face scrutiny as higher-for-longer interest rate expectations compress valuation multiples. Investors who chased early Tuesday strength found themselves caught on the wrong side of a late-session reversal, a reminder that liquidity can vanish quickly when macro headlines dominate.

Asia-Pacific markets displayed sharper divergence. South Korea’s KOSPI surged 3.06 per cent at Wednesday’s open, fuelled by reports of a potential 15-point US-Iran de-escalation plan. This optimism contrasted with earlier heavy losses in Japan’s Nikkei and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng, both of which fell more than three per cent as energy prices spiked.

The regional split underscores how rapidly sentiment shifts when geopolitical headlines dominate, leaving traders to parse signal from noise in real time. Energy-dependent economies feel these swings most acutely, as oil price volatility directly impacts trade balances and corporate earnings forecasts. The KOSPI’s sharp rebound also highlights how local markets can decouple temporarily from global risk trends when catalyst-specific news emerges, creating both opportunity and whipsaw risk for cross-border capital.

The cryptocurrency market has stabilised after intense volatility, though it remains acutely sensitive to macroeconomic currents. Bitcoin trades around US$70,950, holding modest gains after rebounding from February lows. Ethereum hovers near US$2,130-US$2,160, recently underperforming Bitcoin amid heightened institutional selling pressure in ETH exchange-traded funds. Among altcoins, Solana holds steady near US$88-US$89, while XRP remains around US$1.42-US$1.45.

Market drivers remain anchored in geopolitical uncertainty. Recent liquidations of nearly US$550 million in short positions helped Bitcoin reclaim the US$71,000 threshold, demonstrating how leverage and sentiment can amplify moves in digital asset markets. This dynamic reveals a maturing yet still fragile ecosystem in which traditional finance flows increasingly intersect with decentralised protocols, creating new channels for volatility transmission.

Commodities reflect the same tug-of-war. Brent crude fell more than four per cent to drop below US$100 a barrel at Wednesday’s open on hopes of a de-escalation, after hitting highs near US$119 last week. The Federal Reserve held its benchmark rate at 3.5 per cent to 3.75 per cent this month and signalled only one rate cut for the remainder of 2026, while raising its inflation outlook to 2.7 per cent. Gold trades around US$4,550 per ounce, retaining some safe-haven appeal despite rising bond yields.

These moves highlight how traditional stores of value and inflation hedges respond to the same geopolitical and policy forces shaping equities and crypto. Oil’s sharp pullback from US$119 shows how quickly risk premiums can evaporate on diplomatic headlines, but the Fed’s cautious stance reminds markets that underlying inflation pressures have not disappeared.

This market environment reveals the intelligence gap that persists in Web3 and traditional finance alike. While institutional players react to Federal Reserve signals and Middle East headlines, decentralised networks continue processing transactions without pause. The US$550 million in short liquidations that propelled Bitcoin higher demonstrates how legacy market structures can create asymmetric opportunities for those who understand on-chain dynamics.

Ethereum’s underperformance relative to Bitcoin, driven by ETF selling pressure, reminds us that institutional adoption does not always align with network fundamentals. I see these moments not as noise but as data points in a larger transition toward more resilient, human-centric financial infrastructure. The current volatility underscores why true decentralisation matters. Systems that depend on single points of failure, whether geopolitical or institutional, remain vulnerable to sudden regime shifts.

The path forward demands more than reactive trading. It requires visionary architecture that anticipates the next cycle of innovation while respecting the lessons of past volatility. Markets will continue to oscillate between fear and hope, but the foundational shift toward open, programmable, and user-owned infrastructure represents a structural trend that transcends daily price action. Those who focus on building rather than merely speculating will define the next era of financial technology.

 

 

Source: https://e27.co/market-crash-or-buying-opportunity-what-investors-need-to-know-now-20260325/

Anndy Lian is an early blockchain adopter and experienced serial entrepreneur who is known for his work in the government sector. He is a best selling book author- “NFT: From Zero to Hero” and “Blockchain Revolution 2030”.

Currently, he is appointed as the Chief Digital Advisor at Mongolia Productivity Organization, championing national digitization. Prior to his current appointments, he was the Chairman of BigONE Exchange, a global top 30 ranked crypto spot exchange and was also the Advisory Board Member for Hyundai DAC, the blockchain arm of South Korea’s largest car manufacturer Hyundai Motor Group. Lian played a pivotal role as the Blockchain Advisor for Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), an intergovernmental organization committed to improving productivity in the Asia-Pacific region.

An avid supporter of incubating start-ups, Anndy has also been a private investor for the past eight years. With a growth investment mindset, Anndy strategically demonstrates this in the companies he chooses to be involved with. He believes that what he is doing through blockchain technology currently will revolutionise and redefine traditional businesses. He also believes that the blockchain industry has to be “redecentralised”.

www.anndy.com
j j j

Bitcoin and Ethereum officially commodities: How the 91% S&P correlation signals a new era

Bitcoin and Ethereum officially commodities: How the 91% S&P correlation signals a new era

The cryptocurrency market advanced 3.22 per cent to reach a total capitalisation of US$2.42T over the past 24 hours, a move that signals a profound shift in market structure rather than mere speculative enthusiasm. This rally stems from a watershed moment in regulatory history. The Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued binding joint guidance on March 23, 2026, formally classifying 16 major digital assets, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Solana, as digital commodities rather than securities. This decision removes a decade of jurisdictional uncertainty that has long suppressed institutional participation. I view this clarity as the foundational shift the industry needed to mature beyond its speculative adolescence and enter a new era of legitimate financial integration.

The classification of these assets as commodities directly addresses what I have long identified as the securities overhang. That regulatory ambiguity forced institutions to treat digital assets as legal liabilities rather than investable opportunities. Now, with clear jurisdictional boundaries, capital allocators can evaluate these technologies on their technical merits and economic utility.

The market’s immediate response confirms this thesis. Institutional confidence translates into capital deployment, and that deployment fuels price discovery. The 91 per cent correlation between crypto and the S&P 500 during this rally signals that digital assets now move as part of the broader macro financial ecosystem rather than as an isolated speculative niche. This integration validates the argument I have made for years that crypto cannot be understood in isolation from traditional finance.

This macro integration deserves careful attention because it changes how we analyse market movements. The 76 per cent correlation with gold suggests that crypto increasingly functions as a hybrid risk asset, capturing both growth-sentiment and store-of-value narratives. Simultaneously, derivatives markets amplified the spot move with volume jumping 66 per cent and open interest rising 11 per cent. Leveraged positioning can accelerate gains but also magnifies downside risk.

I view this dynamic through a critical lens shaped by independent analysis. While derivatives provide liquidity and price efficiency, they also introduce fragility when speculative capital dominates. The key question becomes whether institutional flows can sustain momentum once short-term leveraged traders take profits. We must watch the trajectory of Bitcoin ETF flows as a proxy for ongoing institutional demand because these flows represent real capital commitment rather than transient speculation.

Technical levels now define the near-term path for market participants. The market cap faces immediate resistance at the 23.6 per cent Fibonacci retracement level of US$2.48T, with stronger supply extending to US$2.56T. A sustained break above that zone could target the US$2.65T to US$2.77T extension area.

Conversely, failure to hold the US$2.38T support, representing the 50 per cent retracement, risks a deeper pullback. These levels matter because they reflect where real capital decides to enter or exit positions. The March 27 SEC deadline for decisions on spot ETF applications for XRP and other newly classified commodities will serve as the next major catalyst. Approval would validate the new regulatory paradigm and likely trigger fresh institutional allocation. Rejection or delay could test market conviction and reveal whether the rally was built on substance or sentiment.

Global markets provided a supportive backdrop for this crypto advance, though with notable divergences. US equities posted strong gains with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 631.06 points or 1.38 per cent to close at 46,208.47, the S&P 500 gaining 1.15 per cent to settle at 6,581.00, and the Nasdaq Composite rising 1.38 per cent to end at 21,946.76.

Asian markets followed with the Nikkei 225 adding 1.1 per cent to reach 52,093.02 and the Hang Seng Index rising 1.5 per cent to 24,619.18. European markets showed more caution, with the FTSE 100 edging down 0.2 per cent to 9,894.15 as energy giants BP and Shell fell on lower oil prices. This mixed global picture underscores that crypto’s rally was not merely a reflexive risk but a targeted response to regulatory clarity that transcends regional market sentiment.

Geopolitical developments added another layer of complexity to the global risk landscape. Markets initially rallied on reports that President Trump announced a 5-day delay in strikes on Iranian infrastructure, citing productive talks. Brent crude tumbled nearly 10 per cent to around US$96/barrel on de-escalation hopes before edging back to US$101 after Iranian officials disputed claims of direct negotiations with Washington.

Spot gold plunged to approximately US$4,418 per ounce, on track for a record losing streak as risk appetite returned. Japan’s core inflation rose 1.6 per cent in February, its smallest increase since 2022, providing some relief regarding global price pressures. These cross-asset moves remind us that digital assets do not exist in a vacuum. Macro liquidity conditions, geopolitical risk premiums, and inflation expectations all influence capital allocation decisions in ways that technical analysis alone cannot capture.

I see this regulatory milestone as the beginning of a new phase for digital assets, not the end of the journey. The classification of major tokens as commodities creates a framework for innovation while preserving investor protections. True decentralisation requires more than regulatory clarity. It demands technical robustness, governance transparency, and economic sustainability.

I believe the next frontier lies in building intelligent, human-centric protocols that leverage regulatory certainty to deliver real-world utility. The March 27 ETF decisions will provide an important signal, but the long-term trajectory depends on whether the industry can translate this clarity into products that serve users rather than just speculators. We must remain vigilant against the temptation to celebrate regulatory approval as an end goal rather than a means to broader adoption.

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Source: https://e27.co/bitcoin-and-ethereum-officially-commodities-how-the-91-sp-correlation-signals-a-new-era-20260324/

Anndy Lian is an early blockchain adopter and experienced serial entrepreneur who is known for his work in the government sector. He is a best selling book author- “NFT: From Zero to Hero” and “Blockchain Revolution 2030”.

Currently, he is appointed as the Chief Digital Advisor at Mongolia Productivity Organization, championing national digitization. Prior to his current appointments, he was the Chairman of BigONE Exchange, a global top 30 ranked crypto spot exchange and was also the Advisory Board Member for Hyundai DAC, the blockchain arm of South Korea’s largest car manufacturer Hyundai Motor Group. Lian played a pivotal role as the Blockchain Advisor for Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), an intergovernmental organization committed to improving productivity in the Asia-Pacific region.

An avid supporter of incubating start-ups, Anndy has also been a private investor for the past eight years. With a growth investment mindset, Anndy strategically demonstrates this in the companies he chooses to be involved with. He believes that what he is doing through blockchain technology currently will revolutionise and redefine traditional businesses. He also believes that the blockchain industry has to be “redecentralised”.

www.anndy.com
j j j