Binance Announces FTX Buyout And The Market Recovers

Did Binance just do what we think it did? The world’s biggest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume will likely buy one of its biggest competitors. The market was in turmoil, the players were in panic mode, but this news calmed the waters in a big way. What’s next, though? Will Binance actually go through with the buyout? Is the deal final? And what does this story says about FTX’s business model? Were they fractional-reserving their way to success?

Let that sink in… pic.twitter.com/Whj50bR2Ey

— wolf (@ImNotTheWolf) November 8, 2022

Let’s analyze the official but not abundant information out there and try to reach our own conclusions.

Sam Bankman-Fried Bends The Knee

After a whole morning of radio silence, the mind behind FTX and Alameda Research finally spoke. In a Twitter thread that will live for the ages, Sam Bankman-Fried was as vague as one can be. “we have come to an agreement on a strategic transaction with Binance for FTX.com,” he tweeted. Then, he announced that “our teams are working on clearing out the withdrawal backlog as is. This will clear out liquidity crunches; all assets will be covered 1:1.” Wasn’t that supposed to be the case from the beginning, though? 

2) Our teams are working on clearing out the withdrawal backlog as is. This will clear out liquidity crunches; all assets will be covered 1:1. This is one of the main reasons we’ve asked Binance to come in. It may take a bit to settle etc. — we apologize for that.

— SBF (@SBF_FTX) November 8, 2022

Then, Bankman-Fried proceeded to effectively declare a winner. “A *huge* thank you to CZ, Binance, and all of our supporters. This is a user-centric development that benefits the entire industry,” he tweeted about his new boss. “Binance has shown time and again that they are committed to a more decentralized global economy while working to improve industry relations with regulators. We are in the best of hands.”

5) I know that there have been rumors in media of conflict between our two exchanges, however Binance has shown time and again that they are committed to a more decentralized global economy while working to improve industry relations with regulators. We are in the best of hands.

— SBF (@SBF_FTX) November 8, 2022

Is the deal set in stone, though? According to River’s CEO Alexander Leishman, “The DD on this deal is going to take forever. Bankruptcy still on the table if Binance decides they don’t…