Binance CEO CZ Refutes Claims of $1B Bitcoin Dump Triggering Market Sell-Off

In a recent development that has captured the attention of the cryptocurrency community, Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) has publicly denied allegations that the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange played a role in triggering a significant market downturn. The controversy stems from claims that Binance liquidated approximately $1 billion worth of Bitcoin, which some market observers suggested catalyzed a sharp decline in digital asset prices over a weekend. CZ clarified that the substantial wallet movements detected by analysts were not sell-offs by the exchange but rather represented user withdrawals—a routine activity on the platform. This clarification comes amid heightened scrutiny of exchange activities and their potential impact on market volatility. The incident underscores the ongoing challenges in interpreting on-chain data and the importance of transparency from major market participants. For investors, this event highlights the complex dynamics between exchange operations, user behavior, and broader market sentiment. As the cryptocurrency ecosystem continues to mature, clear communication from industry leaders like CZ remains crucial in maintaining trust and stability during periods of market uncertainty.

CZ Denies Binance's Role in Crypto Market Sell-Off Amid $1B Bitcoin Dump Claims

Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao has dismissed allegations that the exchange triggered a cryptocurrency market downturn by liquidating $1 billion in Bitcoin. The claims surfaced after a sharp price drop across digital assets over the weekend, with some market observers pointing to Binance's wallet movements as a potential catalyst.

Zhao clarified that the flagged transactions represented user withdrawals rather than corporate sell-offs. 'Binance’s wallet balance only changes when users withdraw,' he stated on social media platform X, emphasizing that most clients treat the exchange as a custodial wallet service. The rebuttal comes as Binance prepares to convert its Secure Asset Fund for Users (SAFU) into bitcoin over the next month.

Market volatility has reignited debates about exchange transparency following October's flash crash. While Zhao attributes the sell-off to 'imaginative FUD,' the episode underscores the crypto market's susceptibility to rumors during periods of low liquidity.

CoinRoutes Co-Founder Alleges Coordinated Manipulation in October Crypto Crash

Dave Weisberger, co-founder of CoinRoutes and architect of Morgan Stanley's first program trading system, has characterized October's crypto market collapse as a coordinated attack. Speaking on the Thinking Crypto podcast, Weisberger described the event as "the greatest mass liquidation event in history," citing $19 billion in total losses with Bitcoin alone accounting for $5 billion in liquidations. Altcoins plummeted 20-70% at trough levels.

The alleged playbook: attackers accumulated long spot positions while shorting perpetual futures over weeks, then executed a liquidity-starved spot dump. By placing sub-market bids in perpetuals, they triggered cascading liquidations. "Was it manipulation? I damn well think so," Weisberger stated, noting DeFi exchanges suffered disproportionately due to on-chain position visibility.

Binance's auto-deleveraging mechanism reportedly failed during the event. Weisberger dismissed Bitcoin's four-year halving cycle theory as statistically insignificant, comparing it to the Super Bowl Indicator's flawed correlation.

DeepSnitch AI Gains Momentum as Regulatory Tech and Institutional Moves Shape Crypto Landscape

South Korea's Financial Supervisory Service has upgraded its VISTA surveillance system with AI-driven algorithms capable of detecting crypto market manipulation across all trading sub-periods. The enhanced system identified irregularities previously missed by human analysts, with further upgrades planned for 2026 to track coordinated account networks and fund origins.

Binance has converted $100 million of its SAFU reserve fund into Bitcoin at an average price of $77,400, signaling strong institutional conviction. This marks the beginning of the exchange's planned $1 billion reserve conversion strategy.

At the intersection of regulatory technology and smart capital, DeepSnitch AI's presale has raised $1.46 million, offering AI-powered market protection tools ahead of regulatory adoption. The DSNT token has appreciated 153% from its initial price to $0.0383, with a Q1 2026 launch approaching.

Dogecoin Shows Early Signs of Reversal as Key Trendline Breaks

Dogecoin's price action suggests a potential shift in market structure after breaking a descending trendline on the 4-hour chart. The breakout, coupled with a bullish MACD crossover, indicates weakening bearish momentum NEAR the psychologically significant $0.10 support level.

Binance traders appear to be positioning for recovery, with increasing long exposure coinciding with the technical improvement. The meme cryptocurrency now faces critical resistance tests as it attempts to transition from its prolonged downtrend into a new phase of price discovery.

Bitcoin Rebounds from $72,900 Low as Shutdown Deal Spurs Recovery

Bitcoin plunged to $72,900 during early U.S. trading hours, its lowest level since November 2024, before staging a 5% rebound to $76,800. The recovery coincided with Congress passing a bill to end the partial government shutdown, injecting Optimism into risk assets.

Liquidations totaled $740 million in 24 hours, with $287 million in bitcoin longs and $267 million in ethereum positions wiped out. Nearly half of bitcoin's supply now sits underwater after the 30% drop from its $108,000 peak.

Market technicians note extreme bearish sentiment could spark a short-term rally, though failure to hold $76,000 may invite tests of $60,000. Ethereum mirrored the volatility, swinging 10% from lows to $2,300 before paring gains.

Binance Supports Zilliqa Network Upgrade with Hard Fork Scheduled for 2026

Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, has announced its backing for a major technical overhaul of the Zilliqa blockchain. The upgrade, including a hard fork, is set for February 5, 2026 at block height 19,486,411, with completion expected by 1:00 PM Turkish time.

The exchange will temporarily suspend ZIL deposits and withdrawals starting at 9:00 AM on upgrade day, though trading will continue uninterrupted. This strategic pause aims to ensure security during the protocol changes designed to enhance Zilliqa's scalability and network stability.

Binance assumes full responsibility for technical implementation, requiring no user action. The MOVE signals growing institutional confidence in layer-1 blockchain infrastructure upgrades, particularly those targeting enterprise-grade performance improvements.