1. Home
  2. WSJ

WSJ

Tether strikes at WSJ over ‘stale allegations’ of faked documents for bank accounts

Tether has hit back at a Wall Street Journal report detailing alleged shady dealings by it and Bitfinex to open bank accounts.

The company behind stablecoin Tether (USDT) has rebuffed a report by The Wall Street Journal claiming it had ties to entities that faked documents and used shell companies to maintain access to the banking system.

On March 3, the WSJ reported on leaked documents and emails purportedly revealing that entities tied to Tether and its sister cryptocurrency exchange Bitfinex faked sales invoices and transactions and hid behind third parties in order to open bank accounts they otherwise may not have been able to open.

In a March 3 statement, Tether called the findings of the report “stale allegations from long ago” and “wholly inaccurate and misleading,” adding:

“Bitfinex and Tether have world-class compliance programs and adhere to applicable Anti-Money Laundering, Know Your Customer, and Counter-Terrorist Financing legal requirements.”

The firm went on to say that it was a “proud” partner with law enforcement and “routinely and voluntarily” assists authorities in the United States and abroad.

Tether and Bitfinex chief technology officer Paolo Ardoino tweeted on March 3 that the report had “misinformation and inaccuracies” and insinuated that the WSJ reporters were clowns.

Cointelegraph contacted Tether and Binfinex for comment on the report and their statement but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

WSJ report claims Tether and Bitfinex obscured itself

The WSJ article outlines — through its reported review of leaked emails and documents — Tether and Bitfinex’s apparent dealings to stay connected to banks and other financial institutions that, if cut off from, would be  “an existential threat” to their business, according to a lawsuit filed by the pair against Wells Fargo bank.

One of the leaked emails suggests the firm’s China-based intermediaries were attempting to “circumvent the banking system by providing fake sales invoices and contracts for each deposit and withdrawal.”

Screenshot of headline from Wall Street Journal. Source: Wall Street Journal

There were also accusations in the report that Tether and Bitfinex used various means to skirt controls that would have restricted them from financial institutions, and had links to a firm that allegedly laundered money for a United States-designated terrorist organization, among others. 

Meanwhile, a person familiar with the matter told the WSJ that Tether has been under investigation by the Department of Justice in a probe headed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. The nature of the investigation could not be determined.

Related: Silvergate closes exchange network, releases $9.9M to BlockFi

Tether has faced multiple allegations of wrongdoing over the past few months and recently had to downplay a separate WSJ report in early February that claimed four men controlled approximately 86% of the firm since 2018.

It similarly had to combat what it called “FUD” (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) from a WSJ report last December concerning its secured loans and subsequently pledged to stop lending funds from its reserves.

$62 Million Munchables Hack: Rogue Developer Returns All Funds, No Ransom Demanded

SEC’s ‘one-dimensional’ approach is slowing Bitcoin progress: Grayscale CEO

Grayscale’s chief was the latest to take a swing at the authority for its so-called “regulation by enforcement” actions.

The approach to crypto regulatory enforcement by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) stalled the advancement of Bitcoin (BTC) in the country, according to the CEO of Grayscale Investments.

In a letter published in The Wall Street Journal on Jan. 23, the chief of the cryptocurrency asset management firm, Michael Sonnenshein, said he agreed with an assertion that the SEC was “late to the game” regarding crypto regulation and preventing the bankruptcy of FTX, adding:

“‘Late’ doesn’t capture what transpired here. The problem is the Securities and Exchange Commission’s one-dimensional approach of regulation by enforcement.”

Grayscale is currently suiting the SEC for denying the conversion of its Bitcoin trust to a spot-based Exchange Traded Fund (ETF).

He clarified the SEC “should certainly try to eliminate bad actors” but it shouldn’t hinder “efforts to develop appropriate regulation.”

The inaction by the regulator to stop such bad actors from entering the crypto industry “prevented Bitcoin's advancement into the U.S. regulatory perimeter” according to Sonnenshein.

This has thus forced American investors to offshore crypto businesses “with less protection and oversight," he said.

“We are seeing the consequences of the SEC’s priorities play out in real-time — at the expense of U.S. investors.”

Cointelegraph has reached out to the Securities and Exchange Commission for comment.  

Sonnenshein’s opinion piece comes amid an ongoing lawsuit between Grayscale and the SEC for having “arbitrarily denied” Grayscale’s plans to convert its Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) to a spot ETF.

The SEC argued Grayscale’s proposal did not sufficiently protect against fraud and manipulation. Grayscale countered saying the SEC was arbitrarily treating spot-traded products differently from futures-traded products.

Grayscale is owned by the crypto conglomerate Digital Currency Group (DCG), which is currently undergoing financial difficulties.

DCG also owns the bankrupt Genesis Trading which was charged by the SEC on Jan. 12 for allegedly selling unregistered securities.

Related: SEC leaked crypto miners’ personal information during investigation: Report

Over the weekend, John Reed Stark, a crypto skeptic and former SEC chief lambasted the term “regulation by enforcement” labeling it a “Bogus Big Crypto Catch Phrase.”

In a Jan. 22 post on Linkedin, he said the term was a “misguided, deflective effort designed to tap into sympathetic libertarian and anti-regulatory mores” calling it “utter nonsense.”

He argued that “litigation and SEC enforcement are actually how securities regulation works.”

$62 Million Munchables Hack: Rogue Developer Returns All Funds, No Ransom Demanded

CoinDesk could be up for grabs as parent company DCG scrambles for funds

DCG has reportedly received offers for CoinDesk exceeding $200 million in recent weeks, which at a purchase price of $500 thousand would be a 39,900% return on its initial investment.

Crypto media outlet CoinDesk is reportedly considering a potential sale as its parent company Digital Currency Group (DCG) looks to strengthen its balance sheet.

According to the Wall Street Journal, CoinDesk has sought the help of investment bankers from financial advisory firm Lazard, who are helping the firm weigh options including a full or partial sale.

DCG has purportedly received multiple offers exceeding $200 million to buy out the media firm over the last few months, which would result in a phenomenal return on their investment given DCG supposedly acquired the company for just $500,000 in 2016.

Barry Silbert’s DCG appears to be in serious financial strife recently, and announced to shareholders on Jan. 17 that it would be halting dividends in an effort to strengthen its balance sheet and “preserve liquidity.”

On Jan. 18, Bloomberg reported that another DCG subsidiary, crypto lending firm Genesis Global, was planning to file for bankruptcy after revealing it owed creditors over $3 billion — likely a leading factor contributing to DCG’s financial woes.

CoinDesk and Genesis are among some 200 crypto-related businesses in DCG’s venture capital portfolio, according to its website. Other companies that DCG owns include asset management firm Grayscale Investments, crypto exchange Luno, and advisory firm Foundry.

Related: Gemini and Genesis’ legal troubles stand to shake up industry further

Some believe that CoinDesk’s article in November exposing the irregularities in Alameda Research’s balance sheet was the first domino that eventually led to the fall of crypto exchange FTX and the liquidity issues now being faced by Genesis and its parent company DCG and the wider crypto market.

Cointelegraph has reached out to CoinDesk for confirmation that a potential sale was being considered, but was yet to receive an answer at the time of publishing.

$62 Million Munchables Hack: Rogue Developer Returns All Funds, No Ransom Demanded

‘Visibly Shaking’ FTX Co-Founder Hammers out a ‘Wasted Day’ in Court as Bahamian, US Legal Team Prep for Extradition

‘Visibly Shaking’ FTX Co-Founder Hammers out a ‘Wasted Day’ in Court as Bahamian, US Legal Team Prep for ExtraditionFTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) had a difficult day in court on Monday according to a number of accounts that said SBF’s local attorney seemed to be in conflict with his U.S. legal team. Furthermore, courtroom reports noted that SBF dozed off for an extended period of time and had to be shaken awake by […]

$62 Million Munchables Hack: Rogue Developer Returns All Funds, No Ransom Demanded

Binance US finally rolls out mobile payments service to US customers

Binance’s US arm has rolled out a feature for US customers called "Pay" which was launched by its global parent to users outside the US in 2021.

United States crypto exchange Binance US has finally rolled out its Binance Pay service — some 22 months after the feature was launched by the global exchange to its customers outside the U.S. in 2021.

The service, which had a beta version rolled out globally in Feb. 2021 for peer-to-peer payments which was expanded to include merchant transactions on Mar. 12, allows mobile users of the Binance app to instantly transact nearly 150 supported cryptocurrencies without fees.

A Dec.13 blog post from Binance US clarifies that Pay transactions will feature zero gas or transaction fees, and notes that the app is currently only available on mobile as it prepares to introduce a web version “which will arrive in the near future.”

Meanwhile, amid the recent FUD against Binance global, Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) applauded the Binance American unit, saying to “Keep building!”

To access the new features, Binance.US users would need to update to the latest version of the app, and go through identity verification as well as loading their Pay wallet.

However, the service only facilitates transactions between users on the Binance US mobile app. Users can receive up to $1 million in crypto every 24 hours.

Related: Crypto community members discuss bank run on Binance

The latest announcement has come amid a turbulent period for the global crypto exchange.

At the time of writing Binance’s Bitcoin (BTC) balance has fallen by over 42,000 in the last 24 hours, equating to over $754 million, but despite the withdrawals the exchange still has a Bitcoin balance in excess of 527,304 BTC according to on-chain monitoring resource Coinglass.

The withdrawals are understood to have followed a Dec. 13 Reuters report which suggested the United States Department of Justice is nearing the end of an investigation into Binance which commenced in 2018, with U.S. prosecutors reportedly split over whether there is enough evidence to press criminal charges against the exchange and its executives.

Additionally, there have also been fresh concerns within the crypto community relating to Binance’s finances, with accounting and financial specialists consulted by the Wall Street Journal in a Dec. 10 report suggesting Binance’s proof of reserves raise a number of red flags while community members fear the worst.

In a Dec. 14 update on Twitter, CZ noted that “Things seem to have stabilized,” adding that the withdrawals yesterday weren't even within the top five withdrawals they’ve processed in its history.

$62 Million Munchables Hack: Rogue Developer Returns All Funds, No Ransom Demanded

Tether to reduce secured loans to zero in 2023 amid battle against FUD

The move comes in response to a wave of mainstream media attacks and FUD, primarily from the Wall Street Journal.

The world’s largest stablecoin issuer, Tether, has pledged to eventually stop the practice of lending out funds from its reserves, saying it is “mission critical to restore faith" in the crypto market. 

In a Dec. 13 post, the stablecoin issuer addressed recent mainstream media FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) concerning its secured loans, among other FUD which have hit the "rumor mill."

Tether reiterated that its secured loans are over-collateralized and covered by “extremely liquid assets,” while also adding that the firm would be eliminating these loans throughout 2023, stating:

Tether is announcing starting from now, throughout 2023, it will reduce secured loans in Tether’s reserves to zero.

Tether’s secured loans operate similarly to private banks lending to customers using secured collateral, the company explained. However, unlike banks that operate on fractional reserves, Tether claimed that its loans are fully backed by over 100%.

The move is likely in response to a WSJ report earlier this month that alleged these loans were risky. It claimed that the “company may not have enough liquid assets to pay redemptions in a crisis.”

It is not the first time the WSJ has targeted Tether. In August the outlet said that Tether could be deemed “technically insolvent” if its assets fell just 0.3%. The stablecoin issuer refuted the claims at the time stating that it had increased the legitimacy and transparency of its attestations by hiring a top-5 accounting firm.

According to those attestations, 82% of Tether reserves are held in "extremely liquid" assets.

In October, Tether responded to more media FUD by further eliminating commercial paper from its reserves and replacing the investments with U.S. Treasury Bills.

Related: Crypto Biz: You can’t stop the Tether FUD

In its most recent statement, the company stated that it will wind down its lending business without losses and continue its mission to prioritize transparency and accountability.

“We will continue to show Tether’s resilience through the most uncertain times, regardless of the story fabrications and disinformation concocted by Tether Truthers and clickbait headlines from mainstream media that have been consistently wrong about Tether, for close to a decade.”

Tether is currently the leading stablecoin issuer with 65.8 billion USDT circulating giving it a market share of 46.6%, according to CoinGecko.

$62 Million Munchables Hack: Rogue Developer Returns All Funds, No Ransom Demanded

Report: Before the Bankruptcy Filing, FTX Co-Founder SBF Was Told by Crypto Execs to ‘Stop Trying to Depeg Stablecoins’

Report: Before the Bankruptcy Filing, FTX Co-Founder SBF Was Told by Crypto Execs to ‘Stop Trying to Depeg Stablecoins’According to a recent report published by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), cryptocurrency executives were allegedly concerned that Sam Bankman Fried’s (SBF) Alameda Research was trying to “depeg stablecoins.” Purportedly, high-up executives from crypto exchanges are members of a Signal chat group called “Exchange coordination,” and Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) ostensibly told SBF to […]

$62 Million Munchables Hack: Rogue Developer Returns All Funds, No Ransom Demanded

FTX hires forensics team to find lost customers’ billions: Report

Lawyers have claimed FTX assets are either stolen or missing and now a team of financial forensic experts is attempting to trace the money trail.

The new management for bankrupt crypto exchange FTX has reportedly hired a team of financial forensic investigators to track down the billions of dollars worth of missing customer crypto.

Financial advisory company AlixPartners was chosen for the task and is led by former Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chief accountant, Matt Jacques, according to a Dec. 7 report from the Wall Street Journal.

It is understood that the forensics firm will be tasked with conducting “asset-tracing” to identify and recover the missing digital assets and will complement the restructing work being undertaken by FTX.

On Nov. 11 hackers drained wallets owned by FTX and FTX.US of over $450 million worth of assets.

Former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried claimed in an interview recorded on Nov. 16 with crypto blogger Tiffany Fong that he was close to finding who the hacker was and that he had “narrowed it down to eight people” believing it was “either an ex-employee or somewhere someone installed malware on an ex-employee’s computer.”

On Nov. 22, a lawyer representing FTX debtors stated that “a substantial amount of assets have either been stolen or are missing” from FTX, and revealed at the time that blockchain analytics firms such as Chainalysis had been enlisted to help as part of the proceedings.

The stolen funds from FTX have since been on the move through various crypto mixers and exchanges to launder the funds.

The hacker transferred their Ether (ETH) holdings on Nov. 20 to a new wallet address and swapped some of the ETH for an ERC-20 version of Bitcoin (BTC) afterward bridging the funds to the BTC Network.

They then used a laundering technique called peel chaining that subdivides the holdings into increasingly smaller amounts across multiple wallets and sent the BTC through a crypto mixer then to the OKX exchange on Nov. 29.

The hacker also attempted more peel chaining by splitting 180,000 ETH across 12 newly created wallets on Nov. 21.

Related: Was the fall of FTX really crypto’s ‘Lehman moment?’

Former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried has also previously claimed to have “unknowingly commingled” customer funds at FTX and its sister trading firm Alameda Research with customer funds at FTX loaned to Alameda.

FTX’s new CEO and chief restructuring officer, John Ray III, was scalding in his initial bankruptcy filing saying that “never” in his 40-year career had he “seen such a complete failure of corporate controls.”

He claimed Bankman-Fried and his closest colleagues are “potentially compromised” and used “software to conceal the misuse of customer funds.”

$62 Million Munchables Hack: Rogue Developer Returns All Funds, No Ransom Demanded

Washington Post, Forbes, Wall Street Journal Slammed for ‘Puff Piece’ Reports on FTX and Alameda Execs

Washington Post, Forbes, Wall Street Journal Slammed for ‘Puff Piece’ Reports on FTX and Alameda ExecsFollowing the highly criticized New York Times article that features commentary from the former CEO of FTX, Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), the public continues to give the mainstream media flak for publishing “puff pieces” about SBF and the Alameda Research executive Caroline Ellison. A number of articles have been called out for being too lenient on […]

$62 Million Munchables Hack: Rogue Developer Returns All Funds, No Ransom Demanded

Onchain Data Reveals Alameda Acquired Specific Tokens a Month Before FTX Listings

Onchain Data Reveals Alameda Acquired Specific Tokens a Month Before FTX ListingsAccording to a report stemming from the blockchain analytics firm Argus, Sam Bankman-Fried’s trading firm Alameda Research obtained tokens ahead of FTX.com listings. The report claims that Alameda acquired roughly $60 million worth of tokens before the digital assets were scheduled to be listed on FTX. Blockchain Analytics Firm Says Alameda Had an Insider’s Edge […]

$62 Million Munchables Hack: Rogue Developer Returns All Funds, No Ransom Demanded