Bitcoin price hits 2-week lows as FTX 'bank run' drains BTC reserves

1 year ago

Bitcoin (BTC) and crypto markets fell heavy into Nov. 8 arsenic contagion from the FTX debacle spilled over.

BTC/USD 1-day candle illustration (Bitstamp). Source: TradingView

Analysts disregard FTX insolvency fears

Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView showed BTC/USD falling to $19,351 connected Bitstamp — its lowest levels since Oct. 25.

The pair, on with altcoins ample and small, had already begun to show weakness arsenic moves by Binance to cancel vulnerability to FTX’s in-house (FTT) token were confirmed by CEO Changpeng Zhao.

In a Twitter thread aboriginal connected Nov. 7, Zhao defended the decision, portion FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried attempted to reassure markets that his trading level was solvent.

“There were questions astir a ample ($580m) FTT deposit to Binance, and we were transparent astir the information that we are closing our FTT position,” portion of 1 of Zhao’s tweets read.

Bankman-Fried’s entreaty meantime appeared to autumn connected deaf ears. Overnight, FTX saw a surge successful withdrawals, with monitoring resources adjacent showing antagonistic BTC balances for the exchange’s wallets.

Data from on-chain analytics level CryptoQuant enactment FTX’s BTC equilibrium simplification connected Nov. 7 unsocial astatine -19,956 BTC.

Its BTC reserves were reportedly conscionable 7.1 BTC astatine the clip of writing, further information showed, with this perchance owed to changes successful wallet management.

"FTX, the #2 crypto exchange, is experiencing a slope run," Jack Niewold, laminitis of newsletter Crypto Pragmatist, began an investigative Twitter thread by stating.

"Pushed to the brink by a indebtedness situation & an announcement from its #1 competitor, ~$1b has bled retired from the level successful the past fewer days."

In different of galore reactions to the ongoing turmoil, Dylan LeClair, elder expert astatine UTXO Management, argued that portion it mightiness not beryllium implicit financially for FTX, the transparency of its operations was origin for concern.

“I don’t deliberation it’s probable that FTX is insolvent, but I deliberation the Alameda worries are notable, if thing else,” portion of Twitter comments stated.

“I don't deliberation FTX goes down. Might be, but I don't deliberation so,” Michaël van de Poppe, laminitis and CEO of trading level Eight, continued.

“Binance simply wants to merchantability the presumption owed to the reasons discussed, done which a sell-off was initiated. Bit antithetic from $LUNA and Celsius, but has similarities arsenic well.”

Bitcoin gives up $20,000 mark

For Bitcoin, the outlook remained cloudy arsenic acold feet took clasp of marketplace sentiment.

Related: Funding rates deed 6-month precocious earlier CPI — 5 things to cognize successful Bitcoin this week

BTC/USD recovered conscionable $400 from its lows connected the day, making $20,000 erstwhile much retired of reach.

Further volatility was connected the horizon, meanwhile, arsenic the U.S. midterm elections combined with Consumer Price Index (CPI) information owed for merchandise connected Nov. 10.

“$FTT tanking heavily, done which besides Bitcoin and the remainder of the markets amusement immoderate weakness,” Van de Poppe summarized.

For its part, FTT managed to signifier a humble comeback connected the time aft falling to lows of conscionable supra $15.

FTT/USD 1-day candle chart. Source: CryptoQuant

The views and opinions expressed present are solely those of the writer and bash not needfully bespeak the views of Cointelegraph.com. Every concern and trading determination involves risk, you should behaviour your ain probe erstwhile making a decision.

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