As lately as March, Three Arrows Capital managed about $10 billion in belongings, making it one of the distinguished crypto hedge funds on this planet.
Now the agency, also called 3AC, is headed to chapter courtroom after the plunge in cryptocurrency costs and a very dangerous buying and selling technique mixed to wipe out its belongings and depart it unable to repay lenders.
The chain of ache could be starting. 3AC had a prolonged checklist of counterparties, or firms that had their cash wrapped up within the agency’s potential to no less than keep afloat. With the crypto market down by greater than $1 trillion since April, led by the slide in bitcoin and ethereum, traders with concentrated bets on companies like 3AC are struggling the results.
Crypto trade Blockchain.com reportedly faces a $270 million hit on loans to 3AC. In the meantime, digital asset brokerage Voyager Digital filed for Chapter 11 chapter safety after 3AC could not pay again the roughly $670 million it had borrowed from the corporate. U.S.-based crypto lenders Genesis and BlockFi, crypto derivatives platform BitMEX and crypto trade FTX are additionally being hit with losses.
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“Credit score is being destroyed and withdrawn, underwriting requirements are being tightened, solvency is being examined, so everyone seems to be withdrawing liquidity from crypto lenders,” stated Nic Carter, a accomplice at Citadel Island Ventures, which focuses on blockchain investments.
Three Arrows’ technique concerned borrowing cash from throughout the trade after which turning round and investing that capital in different, usually nascent, crypto tasks. The agency had been round for a decade, which helped give founders Zhu Su and Kyle Davies a measure of credibility in an trade populated by newbies. Zhu additionally co-hosted a well-liked podcast on crypto.
“3AC was purported to be the grownup within the room,” stated Nik Bhatia, a professor of finance and enterprise economics on the College of Southern California.
Courtroom paperwork reviewed by CNBC present that legal professionals representing 3AC’s collectors declare that Zhu and Davies haven’t but begun to cooperate with them “in any significant method.” The submitting additionally alleges that the liquidation course of hasn’t began, which means there isn’t any money to pay again the corporate’s lenders.
Zhu and Davies did not instantly reply to requests for remark.
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Tracing the falling dominoes
The autumn of Three Arrows Capital may be traced to the collapse in Might of terraUSD (UST), which had been one of the common U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin tasks.
The soundness of UST relied on a posh set of code, with little or no onerous money to again up the association, regardless of the promise that it might preserve its worth whatever the volatility within the broader crypto market. Traders had been incentivized — on an accompanying lending platform referred to as Anchor — with 20% annual yield on their UST holdings, a rate many analysts said was unsustainable.
“The risk asset correction coupled with less liquidity have exposed projects that promised high unsustainable APRs, resulting in their collapse, such as UST,” said Alkesh Shah, global crypto and digital asset strategist at Bank of America.
Panic selling associated with the fall of UST, and its sister token luna, cost investors $60 billion.
“The terraUSD and luna collapse is ground zero,” said USC’s Bhatia, who published a book last year on digital currencies titled “Layered Money.” He described the meltdown as the first domino to fall in a “long, nightmarish chain of leverage and fraud.”
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3AC told the Wall Street Journal it had invested $200 million in luna. Other industry reports said the fund’s exposure was around $560 million. Whatever the loss, that investment was rendered virtually worthless when the stablecoin project failed.
UST’s implosion rocked confidence in the sector and accelerated the slide in cryptocurrencies already underway as part of a broader pullback from risk.
3AC’s lenders asked for some of their cash back in a flood of margin calls, but the money wasn’t there. Many of the firm’s counterparties were, in turn, unable to meet demands from their investors, including retail holders who had been promised annual returns of 20%.
“Not only were they not hedging anything, but they also evaporated billions in creditors’ funds,” said Bhatia.
Peter Smith, the CEO of Blockchain.com said last week, in a letter to shareholders viewed by CoinDesk, that his company’s exchange “remains liquid, solvent and our customers will not be impacted.” But investors have heard that kind of sentiment before — Voyager said the same thing days before it filed for bankruptcy.
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Bhatia said the cascade hits any player in the market with significant exposure to a deteriorating asset and liquidity crunch. And crypto comes with so few consumer protections that retail investors have no idea what, if anything, they’ll end up owning.
Customers of Voyager Digital recently received an email indicating that it would be a while before they could access the crypto held in their accounts. CEO Stephen Ehrlich said on Twitter that after the corporate goes by way of chapter proceedings, clients with crypto of their account would doubtlessly obtain a kind of seize bag of stuff.
That might embrace a mix of the crypto they held, frequent shares within the reorganized Voyager, Voyager tokens and no matter proceeds they’re in a position to get from 3AC. Voyager traders instructed CNBC they do not see a lot motive for optimism.
WATCH: Voyager Digital recordsdata for chapter amid crypto lender solvency disaster
Dogecoin DOGE/USD experienced a 5% surge following a tweet by Elon Musk on X. This has sparked fresh speculations about the imminent payments service on Musk’s social app.
What Happened: Musk’s Friday post, which featured a screenshot of podcaster Joe Rogan’s X profile, triggered the increase in Dogecoin’s price.
The post displayed a unique dollar icon, different from the app’s tipping service, leading to speculations that it could be related to the anticipated X Payments service.
Musk responded to the speculation with a simple “true”, further fueling the rumors. Dogecoin’s price has historically been influenced by payment-related news from any of Musk’s ventures, including X, formerly known as Twitter.
There are speculations that once the service is live, it might support transactions with digital assets like DOGE, given Musk’s known fondness for the token.
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Musk’s electric car company, already accepts DOGE payments for certain merchandise purchases in its online store.
Also Read: Dogecoin’s Active Users On The Rise, Will This Impact DOGE Price?
Over the past 24 hours, DOGE has advanced 6.16% and at the time of writing it was trading at $0.4332, outperforming the stagnant Bitcoin BTC/USD prices. The token has risen 190% over the past month, trading at its highest level since May 2021.
Why It Matters: The surge in Dogecoin’s price following Musk’s tweet is significant as it highlights the influence Musk has over the cryptocurrency market.
His tweet sparked speculations about the forthcoming X Payments service, which could potentially support transactions with digital assets like DOGE.
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This is particularly noteworthy given Musk’s known fondness for the token and the fact that his electric car company, Tesla Inc., already accepts DOGE payments for certain merchandise purchases.
The rise in DOGE’s price also outperformed the stagnant bitcoin prices, indicating a growing interest in alternative cryptocurrencies.
Read Next
Crypto Analyst Predicts This Altcoin Will Explode 260% In 2024, And It’s Not Dogecoin Or Shiba Inu
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Bitcoin prices hovered around $98,608 on Saturday on international exchanges, buoyed by the euphoria over Donald Trump-led Republican party reclaiming the White House. With its total market cap touching more than two trillion dollars, the oldest cryptocurrency has witnessed a spike of 51 per cent in the past one month.
There is hope that the Donald Trump-led US administration will adopt crypto-friendly policies when it takes over in January next year for its second term. The rally got further impetus when BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF options were listed on Nasdaq on Tuesday.
Indian crypto industry insiders are naturally upbeat about this rally. Balaji Srihari, Business Head of CoinSwitch, says, “Bitcoin surged to an all-time high, signalling that the much-anticipated $100,000 milestone could be within reach- many analysts predict that this mark could be achieved as early as the end of November. Since the recent US election, Bitcoin has been consistently setting new records, encouraged by expectations of a more supportive regulatory framework and a potential national Bitcoin reserve; that can legitimise Bitcoin as a government-backed asset. BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF debuting options trading on Nasdaq is a big sign of increasing crypto adoption.”
Apart from bitcoin, other crypto tokens too have witnessed a surge. XRP, for instance, has surged 188 per cent in the past one month, and 37 per cent in the past five days alone. Ether trades at $3,354 and BNB trades at $665 on Saturday, according to Coinmarketcap data.
Shivam Thakral, CEO of BuyUcoin, says, “In the last 24 hours, Bitcoin reached a record high of $99,000. XRP led the charge with a remarkable 25 per cent increase, driven by renewed optimism surrounding a more crypto-friendly regulatory environment in the US. It is anticipated that Donald Trump’s win in the election will drive the implementation of crypto-friendly policies, which will, in turn, enhance market sentiment. As trading volumes rise and hopes for ETF approvals increase, the future looks extremely positive for XRP and the wider cryptocurrency market as we near the end of the year.”
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Vishal Sacheendran, Head of Regional Markets at Binance, says, “Bitcoin’s rally, fuelled in part by the optimism surrounding Donald Trump’s re-election, represents a transformative moment for the crypto and Web3 space. His administration’s support for digital assets could lead to more progressive regulations, fostering an environment conducive to greater institutional and retail investment in the sector. I believe that the broader crypto ecosystem could benefit from policies that promote blockchain infrastructure, and provide a better route for financial institutions to engage with crypto.”
Caution needed
Despite all the positive factors, crypto experts believe that investors should stay cautious and not get too carried away. It is common knowledge that bull runs are often followed by steep corrections. So, one should be cautious before getting too elated. “Amid the excitement, traders should stay cautious. Big price jumps often lead to sharp corrections, and using too much leverage could amplify risks during volatile periods,” says Srihari from Coinswitch.
“It is also important to note that in a bull market like this, investors should also remain mindful, conduct thorough research, and not make investment decisions solely based on market sentiment or hype,” adds Sacheendran of Binance.
Cryptocurrency Prices Today, November 23: The broader market movement on Saturday sparked bullish momentum globally. Bitcoin remains steady at $98K, while major altcoins like ADA, XRP, and AVAX surged between 14% and 25%. Notably, Hedera (HBAR) and Stellar (XLM) emerged as top performers, registering jumps of 25% to 55% in the last 24 hours.
Simultaneously, the global crypto market cap witnessed a 1.5% increase in the past 24 hours, currently at $3.33 trillion. However, the total market volume declined by 12% from yesterday and is now at $219 billion. Let’s dive into a brief report on the top cryptocurrencies by market cap and their price movements on November 23.
Cryptocurrency Prices Today: BTC Holds Steady, ETH & SOL Unchanged, XRP Soars 15%
Bitcoin (BTC) remains stable at $98K, holding its position for the past 24 hours. Similarly, Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL) have shown no significant movement during this period. However, XRP has surged by 14%, leading the gainers. Among the top meme coins, Dogecoin and Shiba Inu have also witnessed a 9% increase in the last 24 hours, reflecting positive momentum in the cryptocurrency prices today.
Bitcoin Price Today
BTC price chart appears steady, currently trading at $98,550. Its intraday low and high are $97,222 and $99,655, respectively. Bitcoin’s market cap is $1.95 trillion, with a 24-hour trading volume of $76 billion.
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According to Sosovalue data, 22.85 million BTC flowed out of 12 BTC ETFs. However, BlackRock’s IBIT data is still awaited. With a dominance of 58.59%, Bitcoin remains the largest cryptocurrency by market cap.
Ethereum Price Today
Ethereum (ETH) remains unchanged, currently trading at $3,333. Its 24-hour low and high are $3,262 and $3,428, respectively, showing minimal price movement. ETH has gained 7% over the past week, indicating positive short-term performance. With a market cap of $400 billion, ETH remains strong in the market.
The 24-hour trading volume for Ethereum is $38 billion, and it commands a market dominance of 12%. ETH ETFs saw an outflow of 8.47 million, and BlackRock’s IBIT data is yet to be released, which may further influence the market.
Solana Price Today
Solana (SOL) is down by 2% in the last 24 hours, currently trading at $255. Its 24-hour low and high are $252 and $263, respectively, showing slight fluctuations. Over the past week, SOL has risen by 17.5%, reflecting strong growth. With a market cap of $121 billion and a 24-hour trading volume of $7 billion, Solana remains the fourth-largest cryptocurrency globally.
XRP Price Today
XRP price has jumped by 15% in the last 24 hours, currently trading at $1.566. Its 24-hour low and high are $1.367 and $1.621, respectively, showing strong volatility. XRP has surged by 75% in the past week and 200% in the last 30 days, reflecting impressive growth. With a market cap of $89 billion and a trading volume of $20 billion, XRP is now the sixth-largest cryptocurrency by market cap.
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Meme Coins Performance Today
Dogecoin (DOGE) has increased by 9% and is currently trading at $0.42. Its 24-hour low and high are $0.3858 and $0.4296, respectively, showing solid market movement.
Similarly, Shiba Inu (SHIB) is also up by 9%, trading at $0.00002698. Its 24-hour low and high are $0.00002437 and $0.00002749, respectively, reflecting positive momentum.
On the other hand, other meme coins like PEPE, BONK, and WIF have experienced declines of 2% to 8% in the past 24 hours. These drops indicate some volatility in the meme coin sector.
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Top Cryptocurrency Gainer Prices Today
Stellar
Stellar (XLM) price is currently trading at $0.44, marking an impressive 55% increase in the last 24 hours. Its 24-hour low and high are $0.2766 and $0.4624, respectively, reflecting significant volatility and strong market momentum.
Hedera
Hedera (HBAR) is currently trading at $0.1542, up by 25% in the last 24 hours. Its 24-hour low and high are $0.1275 and $0.1681, respectively, showing strong price fluctuations and growth.
Cardano
Cardano (ADA) price is up by 24% and is currently trading at $1.09. Its 24-hour low and high are $0.85 and $1.137, respectively, reflecting significant movement, and it is the ninth-largest cryptocurrency by market cap.
Top Cryptocurrency Loser Prices Today
Peanut the Squirrel
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Peanut the Squirrel (PNUT) is down by 13% in the last 24 hours and is currently trading at $1.11. Its 24-hour low and high are $1.04 and $1.31, respectively, indicating a decline in its price.
Popcat (SOL)
Popcat (POPCAT) is down by 9% and is currently trading at $1.43. Its 24-hour low and high are $1.415 and $1.612, respectively, showing a decline in price over the past day.
Raydium
Raydium (RAY) is down by 8% in the last 24 hours and is currently trading at $5.98. Its 24-hour low and high are $5.913 and $6.432, respectively, indicating a decrease in price during this period.
Besides, the hourly time frame chart continues to spark bullish momentum for cryptocurrency prices today. BTC is up by 0.4%, ETH is up by 0.5%, and Dogecoin has risen by 4%, sparking discussions among traders and investors about future price movements.
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Coingape Staff
CoinGape comprises an experienced team of native content writers and editors working round the clock to cover news globally and present news as a fact rather than an opinion. CoinGape writers and reporters contributed to this article.
Disclaimer: The presented content may include the personal opinion of the author and is subject to market condition. Do your market research before investing in cryptocurrencies. The author or the publication does not hold any responsibility for your personal financial loss.
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