As concerns swirl around Binance, the crypto community turns to insights from CryptoQuant’s Julio Moreno to assess the potential for a “bank run” scenario at the exchange. Amidst comparisons to FTX and scrutiny over Binance’s operations, Moreno’s data-driven analysis sheds light on the situation.

The spectre of a Binance bank run, reminiscent of the FTX debacle, has prompted Julio Moreno of CryptoQuant to delve into historical data and address these apprehensions head-on. Moreno’s analysis highlights two critical factors, providing a nuanced perspective.

Historically, Binance’s Bitcoin reserves have adhered to their typical patterns, a key metric in gauging the exchange’s stability. This consistency suggests a widespread rush to withdraw funds may not be looming. Furthermore, these reserves have never plummeted by more than 16% from their peak since 2018—a crucial benchmark that Moreno underscores, urging market observers to heed its significance.

Binance’s current landscape is fraught with challenges—the exchange grapples with lawsuits and global government scrutiny. The SEC alleges violations of financial laws, Brazil probes pyramid scheme allegations, and France investigates potential money laundering. Even Mastercard recently severed ties due to regulatory concerns, exacerbating the pressure on the exchange’s credibility.

Comparing Binance to FTX, the brainchild of Sam Bankman-Fried, Moreno highlights a fundamental divergence. While FTX’s reserves remained lacklustre after a notable decline in 2021, Binance’s reserves have demonstrated resilience and steadfastness.

Adding fuel to the fire are claims that Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao is offloading Bitcoin holdings to buttress the exchange’s native token, BNB, and uphold its value of around $200. These allegations have sparked doubts about Binance’s integrity, with influential figures like traders Peter Brandt and Mike Alfred expressing scepticism about the exchange’s actions.

A series of scandals, fraud accusations, and regulatory breaches have come full circle for Binance. In a damning revelation, the exchange faces charges of furnishing manipulated screenshots and deploying automated bot accounts that triggered false alarms about withdrawal problems.

Since the FTX debacle last December, Binance has been under heightened scrutiny. CEO Zhao remained resolute after a substantial BTC withdrawal, emphasising the significance of “stress testing” exchanges. Notably, a subsequent CryptoQuant report detected no suspicious on-chain activities linked to Binance, providing a semblance of stabilisation, as reported by Zhao.

In a separate development, reports suggest that Binance has rebranded Russian banks ensnared in sanctions on its peer-to-peer platform. This move implies that the platform facilitated the continued operation of these banks in defiance of the sanctions.

The crypto community watches closely as the saga continues, awaiting the next chapter in Binance’s evolving narrative.