The US has seen a shocking 78% loss in market depth across the top 25 crypto assets after the Securities and Exchange Commission announced its lawsuit against Binance.US and CEO Changpeng Zhao on June 5. This court struggle has sent shockwaves across the crypto sector, leaving investors and traders wondering about the future of Binance.US and the consequences for the larger crypto market.
Market makers abandon Binance.US, causing a drop in market depth
Binance.US, the American arm of the popular crypto exchange Binance, has seen a dramatic drop in market depth due to a lawsuit brought by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The primary cause of the rapidly declining market depth can be the market makers’ hasty exit from the Binance.US platform following the lawsuit, following crypto data site Kaiko — causing worries about liquidity and prompting inquiries about the exchange’s survival.
According to the report, market depth was $34 million on the day before the lawsuit, June 4, whereas it was $7 million on Monday.
The SEC accuses Binance.US of violating securities laws by providing a platform for trading digital assets that qualify as securities. According to the regulatory authority, Binance.US failed to register as a national securities exchange or to operate under an exemption.
The complaint seeks to halt Binance.US’s operations until the exchange complies with the required regulations, which might impact the platform’s operations and the assets accessible for trade.
Implications for the exchange traders and investors
The market depth of Binance.US has dramatically decreased by 78% due to the SEC lawsuit’s aftermath. Market depth measures the purchase and sale orders at various price levels in a given market. As a result of the sudden decline, there have been much fewer buy and sell orders made on the exchange, raising questions about investor confidence and overall trading activity.
Loss of market depth on Binance.US is expected to impact traders and investors who use the site for their Bitcoin trading operations. Trading efficiently and at specified price levels gets more complicated when fewer buy and sell orders exist.
It’s also possible that less liquidity will result in more volatile prices, making it riskier for market participants to initiate and exit positions.
The future of the Binance American entity and operations could be more questionable due to the SEC case. The results of the judicial processes will influence how Bitcoin exchanges are regulated in the United States.
Depending on the court’s ruling, Binance.US might need to adhere to particular rules, adjust its business procedures, or face more severe penalties.
In response to the complaint, Binance.US has committed to working closely with authorities to uphold openness and legal compliance. The exchange has said that it will endeavor to address the concerns identified by the SEC while continuing to offer its users services.
Binance.US is one of many exchanges experiencing a decrease in market depth. Coinbase, situated in the United States, was also sued by the SEC last week, and its liquidity fell by 16% during the same time frame.
According to the Kaiko research, “the sharp decline in liquidity suggests market makers are anxious and want to avoid volatility-induced losses and the not insignificant possibility that their assets could get stuck on an exchange à la FTX collapse.”
According to the data, Coinbase’s market share climbed over the past week from 46% to 64% for unspecified reasons, although Binance.US’s market share decreased to 4.8% in June.
