How Much Are Crypto Exchanges Really Worth?

The valuation of cryptocurrency exchanges like Binance, Kraken, and others is gaining attention in global media. A new approach has been introduced to estimate their market worth—not just based on trading volumes but through a broader set of key metrics.

This method considers six important factors:

🔍 Transparency – How openly exchanges share information about their operations.
📊 Activity – User engagement and trading volumes.
💰 Capital – Financial strength and available reserves.
🛡 Security – Measures in place to protect users and funds.
✅ Compliance – Adherence to regulatory standards.
📈 Proof of Reserves – Verification of solvency and financial backing.

By analyzing these elements, the formula offers a structured way to assess exchanges beyond surface-level figures. While not a definitive valuation model, it provides useful insights into how different platforms operate and manage risks in the crypto space.

Read more in the article 👉 https://coincodex.com/article/58281/unveiling-the-metrics-understanding-the-market-value-of-leading-crypto-exchanges/

🆕 Alexey Pertsev of Tornado Cash Released to House Arrest

🏠 In a significant development, Alexey Pertsev, a developer of the cryptocurrency mixer Tornado Cash, has been released from a Dutch jail after nine months. He is now under house arrest with electronic monitoring until his trial. However, he still faces a 64-month sentence for his alleged role in facilitating over a billion dollars in money laundering through Tornado Cash.

⚖️ Pertsev was arrested in May 2024 and sentenced to 5 years and 4 months for his involvement with Tornado Cash. His colleagues, Roman Storm and Roman Semenov, are also facing similar charges in the United States. Storm's trial is set for April, where he could face up to 45 years in prison, while Semenov is currently wanted by the FBI.

💰 Tornado Cash allows users to conduct private transactions on Ethereum by mixing funds from multiple senders to hide their origins. The platform came under scrutiny when the Lazarus Group, a North Korean cybercriminal organization, used it to launder hundreds of millions of dollars in 2022. This led to sanctions from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, although these actions were later deemed unlawful.

🟢 Despite being in pre-trial detention for over a year, Pertsev's recent court decision marks a turning point. He expressed his gratitude on X, stating,

Freedom is priceless. My house arrest was only possible thanks to the work of lawyers, who were paid from your donations. My fight is not over yet and for a final and confident victory I still need your help.

📈 Nasdaq Pursues SEC Approval for Coinshares XRP ETF

📝 Nasdaq has filed a proposal with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to list the Coinshares XRP ETF, emphasizing that XRP's strong liquidity and decentralized nature lower the risks of market manipulation. The ETF, structured as a Delaware Statutory Trust, aims to provide investors with exposure to XRP without the need for direct ownership or custody.

The trust holds only XRP and cash.

🔍 The ETF will track the Compass Crypto Reference Index XRP – 4pm NY Time, with its net asset value calculated daily. It will function as a passive investment vehicle, with XRP securely stored by a third-party custodian. The trust intends to create and redeem shares in large blocks, known as "baskets," which can only be obtained by authorized participants.

The trust issues baskets to authorized participants on an ongoing basis in exchange for cash, which is used to purchase XRP that is deposited for safekeeping with the custodian.

📊 Nasdaq argues that this ETF offers a regulated and transparent way to access XRP while reducing the risks associated with direct digital asset ownership. The proposal points out that XRP is less prone to manipulation compared to other approved ETP reference assets.

XRP is not particularly susceptible to manipulation, especially as compared to other approved ETP reference assets.

🔗 In its case for approval, Nasdaq compares XRP to previously approved bitcoin and ether ETFs. It claims that XRP's decentralized structure and global trading volume limit the potential for market manipulation. The exchange also notes that the fragmented nature of XRP trading across various platforms makes price distortion unlikely.

The exchange believes that the fragmentation across XRP trading platforms and increased adoption of XRP...make manipulation of XRP prices through continuous trading activity more difficult.

➡️ The SEC is currently reviewing Nasdaq's proposal and has invited public comments before making a final decision.

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➡️ Kidnapping for Cryptocurrency: A Chicago Family's Ordeal

🚨 In November, a family was kidnapped in Chicago by a group of six men who demanded a $15 million ransom in cryptocurrency. The kidnappers threatened the father via WeChat, stating that they would be killed if the ransom was not paid. They entered the family's home armed and even took one of the sons while he was showering.

💰 The ransom was specifically requested to be paid in bitcoin or ether, two popular cryptocurrencies. The criminals seemed to know that the son had some wealth in cryptocurrency, as they asked him to complete some of the transactions. They later gained access to his wallets and transferred $15 million.

📌 One of the accused, Zehuan Wei, was arrested in January in California and has already appeared in court. Of the $15 million transferred, $9 million are still unaccounted for.

🔗 This incident is part of a troubling trend of crimes targeting individuals linked to cryptocurrency. In January, Ledger co-founder David Balland was also kidnapped and had a finger severed before being rescued by French authorities. Additionally, in June, Remy St. Felix from Florida was convicted for leading a gang that targeted cryptocurrency owners across the U.S.

➡️ Bitcoin's Current Market Status: A Balancing Act

📉 Bitcoin has been trading steadily between $96,850 and $97,000, supported by a market cap of $1.92 trillion and a daily volume of $12.95 billion. This stability indicates a market in indecision, with key support and resistance levels being tested. The daily chart shows a corrective phase following its all-time high of $109,356, with prices stabilizing around $96,000–$98,000.

Key support lies at $89,000–$91,000, where previous bounces occurred, while the psychological $100,000 level acts as a stiff resistance.

📊 The 4-hour chart reveals consolidation between $96,000 and $98,000 after a rejection at $98,871. Immediate resistance is noted at $98,500–$99,000. The 1-hour chart shows gradual selling pressure with bitcoin testing $96,686 before weak rebounds. A break below $96,500 could lead to further declines towards $95,500.

🔍 Technical indicators present a mixed outlook. The relative strength index (RSI) at 46 and Stochastic at 53 indicate neutrality, while the commodity channel index (CCI) at –48 suggests a lack of trend strength. However, bearish momentum is evident in the awesome oscillator (–3,195) and MACD (–880), all signaling sell conditions.

A decisive close above $100,000 with much stronger volume could validate bullish momentum, leveraging long-term support from the exponential moving average (EMA 200) at $84,791 and a potential shift in market sentiment.

📈 Short-term moving averages indicate caution, with the EMA 10 at $97,425 and SMA 20 at $98,618 reflecting resistance. In contrast, longer-term averages like the EMA 100 ($93,799) and EMA 200 ($84,791) show positive signals, suggesting underlying bullish support.

Failure to hold $96,500 risks a cascading decline toward $94,000–$91,000, reinforced by bearish signals from the awesome oscillator, momentum, and MACD as well.

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➡️ Wintermute Expands into the U.S. Amidst Regulatory Changes

🌍 Wintermute, a leading crypto market maker, is set to expand its operations in the U.S. by opening a new office in New York and launching over-the-counter (OTC) products for American customers. This move was announced by CEO Evgeny Gaevoy at the Consensus conference in Hong Kong.

➡️ The company's entry into the U.S. market comes as a response to the shifting regulatory landscape under the Trump administration. Gaevoy expressed confidence that other global markets may soon follow the U.S.'s approach to crypto policy.

🔴 As part of this expansion, Wintermute plans to increase its workforce by adding 5 to 10 employees to its existing team of 130. The company recently secured funding led by Tencent Holdings Ltd., following a $20 million Series B round in 2021 supported by Lightspeed Ventures, Pantera Capital, and Hack VC.

📈 Wintermute's move into the U.S. aligns with the growing optimism in the crypto industry. This optimism is fueled by Trump's pro-crypto stance, which contrasts sharply with the previous crackdown led by the SEC during the Biden administration.

Mantra Finance successfully obtained the FIRST DeFi license from Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) 🇦🇪 to operate as a Virtual Asset Exchange, and offer  Broker-Dealer, Management and Investment Services. 

It’s a milestone not just for #MANTRA and a key step in our journey towards expansion, but for the wider Web3 industry too. 

Featured on: https://cointelegraph.com/news/mantra-finance-uae-crypto-license-dubai-rwa-defi

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📉 Robert Kiyosaki Predicts Economic Crash and Bitcoin's Resilience

⚠️ Robert Kiyosaki, the author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, has recently expressed his concerns about an impending economic downturn while sharing his views on bitcoin through social media. He warned about a potential "giant crash" of what he calls “the Everything Bubble,” which includes stocks, bonds, real estate, gold, silver, and bitcoin. Despite this bleak outlook, Kiyosaki stated that he has no intention of selling his BTC.

If the price of bitcoin crashes, I will back up the truck and buy more. Why: when the Everything Bubble crashes, which is happening now, bitcoin will be the fastest to recover and climb to higher highs,

he explained.

💰 On another occasion, Kiyosaki discussed economic inequality, claiming that “the rich are getting richer but the poor and middle class grow poorer.” He attributed this to “fake $”—fiat currency that he believes benefits the wealthy while diminishing the savings of ordinary people. He stated:

Fake $ makes the rich richer and the poor and middle class poorer. Fake $ causes assets such as gold to go up.

📉 He further elaborated that

“fake $ causes the cost of living such as food, gas, life’s inflation to go up in price, making life harder, more expensive for the poor and middle class,”

reiterating his long-standing belief that “the rich do not work for money and savers (of fake $) are losers.” He urged individuals to invest in gold, silver, and bitcoin, which he considers “real money.”

🟢 Reflecting on his financial principles from Rich Dad Poor Dad published in 1997, Kiyosaki reiterated three key beliefs: “the rich do not work for money,” “your house is not an asset,” and “savers are losers.” He warned that “millions of employees are losing their jobs,” while entrepreneurs continue to build wealth. Criticizing reliance on fiat currency, he stated:

Inflation is caused when the Fed and Treasury print trillions in fake money.

💎 Kiyosaki encouraged people to protect their wealth by investing in gold and silver as “God’s money” and bitcoin as “people’s money.” He urged individuals to adopt his strategies for achieving financial freedom.

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➡️ SEC Closes Uniswap Labs Investigation, Signaling Shift Toward Crypto-Friendly Regulation

✅ The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) concluded its four-year investigation into Uniswap Labs on February 25, 2025, without taking enforcement action. This decision is viewed as part of a broader shift towards crypto-friendly regulation under new leadership.

🔍 The investigation, which began in 2021, focused on whether Uniswap was operating as an unregistered securities exchange and if its UNI token was considered an unregistered security. The situation intensified in April 2024 when Uniswap received a Wells notice, indicating potential charges. However, the SEC's recent decision to drop the case aligns with similar closures involving other companies like Coinbase and Robinhood Crypto.

🔄 This shift in the SEC's approach coincides with leadership changes within the agency. Former Chair Gary Gensler, known for his strict enforcement policies, resigned in January 2025. The new Acting Chair, Mark Uyeda, has emphasized the need for clearer guidelines in the crypto space and has initiated a task force to address regulatory uncertainties.

🚀 For Uniswap Labs, the closure of the investigation alleviates legal uncertainties and allows the company to concentrate on platform development, including the recent launch of Uniswap version four (v4). This decision also fosters optimism within the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector, potentially stimulating innovation and investment as the regulatory environment becomes more collaborative.

🔗 The SEC's current stance reflects the new Trump administration's initiative to reassess existing regulations. While the agency is likely to continue its oversight role, industry advocates are hopeful for a decrease in enforcement-driven policies.

⚖️ Crypto Lawsuits: Ex-SEC Official Criticizes Agency over Shifting Regulatory Stance 🏛

John Reed Stark criticizes SEC's regulatory shift and settlements of crypto lawsuits, addressing it as the agency's death.

👉 Read more

🚫 Thorchain Defends Against FUD Allegations Amid Bybit Hack Controversy

💬 Supporters of Thorchain, a decentralized exchange (DEX), have strongly refuted claims that the protocol is facilitating North Korea-backed hackers in laundering ether (ETH) stolen from the recent Bybit hack. They label these allegations as FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) and question why Thorchain is being singled out when other platforms like Uniswap and Sky are also involved.

🗣 A user on X, known as Fincontrarian, emphasized that Thorchain is a neutral and decentralized protocol and cannot be accused of aiding the hackers. The user pointed out that if allowing stolen funds through a "permissionless network" is considered enabling money laundering, then Uniswap and other bridges facilitating similar transactions should be viewed the same way.

🔄 This defense comes after the resignation of a prominent Thorchain developer, Pluto (9R), on February 27. While the reasons for this departure remain unclear, there is speculation that it was related to the decision not to halt ETH trading. Another developer, TCB, has threatened to leave if measures to stop North Korean transactions are not implemented.

🚨 Following the Bybit hack, described as the largest cryptocurrency theft to date, many in the industry have taken steps to block associated funds. However, Thorchain has not made similar updates to its protocol. Fincontrarian argues that this issue extends beyond Thorchain and affects the entire DeFi space. The user also pointed out that Trust Wallet, which allows swaps involving stolen funds, has not faced the same scrutiny.

Most hacker transactions are happening through frontends like TrustWallet. TrustWallet is a US-based company, yet they haven’t halted swaps. If this was truly illegal, wouldn’t they be the first to act? If TrustWallet isn’t being shut down, why would THORChain be at risk?

🔍 Regarding the potential involvement of the FBI, which recently identified the Lazarus Group as the perpetrator of the Bybit hack, Fincontrarian stated that the agency is not the authoritative body in this matter.

📈 Since the Bybit hack, Thorchain's swap volumes have surged, exceeding $700 million on February 26. Some attribute this increase to the Lazarus Group quickly liquidating stolen assets. However, Fincontrarian contends that critics are targeting Thorchain because they "need an excuse to FUD."

➡️ Trump's Tariff Proposal Sparks Cryptocurrency Market Volatility

📉 On March 3, 2025, President Donald Trump's proposal to impose 25% tariffs on imported agricultural goods caused significant fluctuations in the cryptocurrency markets. Bitcoin's price swung between $85,101 and $93,695 amidst broader financial instability. The plan, set to take effect on April 2, 2025, targets all imported agricultural products and expands existing tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada, and China.

Trump’s plan stoked fears of inflation, trade retaliation, and supply-chain disruptions, contributing to a massive 1.76% drop in the S&P 500 on Monday.

📊 Bitcoin mirrored the turmoil in traditional markets, experiencing a significant drop following Trump's statement on Truth Social, before stabilizing near $85,500 by 4:45 p.m. EST. This volatility coincided with the release of the ISM Manufacturing Index, which fell slightly short of expectations at 50.3% versus a forecasted 50.6%. The data reflected a contraction in new orders and amplified investor anxiety about slowing economic growth.

The stock market’s downturn, particularly in tech-heavy indices like the Nasdaq, spilled into crypto markets as investors retreated from risk assets.

🔍 This episode highlights bitcoin’s sensitivity to macroeconomic developments and Trump's tariff calls. Analysts urge investors to monitor economic indicators, trade policies, and equity trends when assessing crypto volatility. While bitcoin’s long-term trajectory remains debated, its reaction to Trump’s tariffs for the fourth consecutive time reaffirms its role as a barometer for broader financial risk appetite.

💪 At press time, bulls are fighting to hold the $86,000 zone at 5 p.m. (ET) on Monday evening.