Binance offers to buy FTX’s non-U.S. operations to fix ‘liquidity crunch’

Published

2 years ago

November 8, 2022

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Binance strikes deal to buy non-U.S. unit of FTX

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency firm, has reached a deal with Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX to buy the rival crypto exchange for an undisclosed amount, rescuing the company from a liquidity crisis.

Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao tweeted Tuesday morning that “there is a significant liquidity crunch” at FTX and that after FTX asked for Binance’s help, the company “signed a non-binding” agreement with the intent “to fully acquire http://FTX.com and help cover the liquidity crunch.”

Zhao added that Binance, which was initially based in China but now claims no official headquarters, will be conducting full diligence in the coming days, and the firm has the discretion to pull out from the deal at any time.

Sam Bankman-Fried confirmed the agreement in a tweet this morning.

The deal marks a cataclysmic collapse for a company that earlier this year was valued by private investors at $32 billion, with ambitions to acquire its way into becoming a crypto giant. Months prior, venture firm Sequoia Capital and BlackRock backed FTX at a $25 billion valuation. Forbes has pegged Bankman-Fried’s net worth at $17 billion, largely from his stake in FTX.

Bankman-Fried told CNBC in an interview over the summer that while FTX isn’t “immune” to the crypto downturn, the company was in better position than rivals because it had snapped up market share. He also said the company was more responsible in its growth than others in the industry.

“We hired a lot less than most places did but we’ve also kind of kept our costs under control,” Bankman-Fried said.

FTX still has $1 billion to deploy, says CEO Sam Bankman-Fried

Binance and its founder, Changpeng Zhao, was one of FTX’s earliest investors. In a tweet, Bankman-Fried said that Binance would be FTX.com‘s “first, and last” investor.

The acquisition impacts only the non-U.S. businesses, FTX.com. FTX.us will remain independent of Binance. However, according to a 2021 audit, the U.S. part of FTX accounted for just 5% of total revenue. FTX is based in the Bahamas, where Bankman-Fried resides.

The deal, according to Tweets from both Zhao and Bankman-Fried, rests on a non-binding letter of intent, pending full due diligence.

FTT, the token native to FTX, was sharply higher on the news. It shot up more than 26% after the deal. That comes after a major sell-off that began Monday evening amid concerns surrounding the solvency of both FTX and its sister trading firm, Alameda Research. Meanwhile, Binance’s native token BNB is up 20% over the same time period.

Binance’s Zhao said in a tweet that he expects FTT to be “highly volatile in the coming days as things develop.”

Earlier on Tuesday, FTX had halted withdrawals from its platform, after spooked investors attempted to pull their funds. Investor confidence was shaken when Zhao tweeted over the weekend that the company would sell its holdings of FTT.

Zhao said in his tweet that Binance has about $2.1 billion worth of FTT and BUSD, the fiat-backed stablecoin issued by Binance and Paxos, combined.

“Due to recent revelations that have came to light, we have decided to liquidate any remaining FTT on our books,” he said.

The revelation also sparked concern about Alameda Research, Bankman-Fried’s trading firm and sister company to FTX. A report last week on the state of Alameda’s finances showed a large portion of its balance sheet is concentrated in FTT and its various activities leveraged using FTT as collateral. Alameda has disputed that claim, saying FTT represents only part of its total balance sheet.

“The Alameda hedge fund is tied to FTX through a ton of FTT tokens and the rumors started that if they are using all of these FTT tokens as collateral… there are two issues,” said Jeff Dorman, chief investment officer at Arca. “If the price of FTT goes way down then Alameda could face margin calls and all kinds of pressure; two is if FTX is the lender to Alameda then everyone’s going to be in trouble.”

“What could have been just an isolated issue at Alameda became a bank run,” he added. “Everybody started to pull their assets out of FTX and there’s this fear that FTX would be insolvent.”

— CNBC’s Kate Rooney and Tanaya Macheel contributed to this report.

Environment

What makes a Honda a Honda? Prologue engineers help us find out!

Published

11 hours ago

November 16, 2024

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What makes a Honda a Honda? Prologue engineers help us find out!

On today’s informative episode of Quick Charge, we’ve got Honda engineers Jason Hwang and Emilio Sanchez to talk us through some of the things that make the GM Ultium-based Honda Prologue EV feel like a real Honda, and why that matters.

Jason and Emilio talk about some of the choices they made to make the Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX feel different from its GM-branded cousins, and explain why this was much more than a case of badge-engineering. Give it a listen, then let us know what you think of the Prologue and ZDX in the comments.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BLUETTI, a leading provider of portable power stations, solar generators, and energy storage systems. For a limited time, save up to 52% during BLUETTI’s exclusive Black Friday sale, now through November 28, and be sure to use promo code BLUETTI5OFF for 5% off all power stations site wide. Learn more by clicking here.

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The Eastern US’s first CFI-funded EV charging hub comes online

Published

14 hours ago

November 15, 2024

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The Eastern US's first CFI-funded EV charging hub comes online

CF EV charging — Photo: Joint Office of Energy and Transportation

The first EV charging hub funded by the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Program in the Eastern US is now online in Deerfield, Massachusetts.

The town installed the region’s first DC fast chargers (four ports), along with four Level 2 chargers, at 59 North Main Street in South Deerfield.

These new charging stations, funded with $2.46 million from the CFI program, are conveniently located near Interstate 91 in Franklin County, the most rural county in Massachusetts, which serves drivers from Connecticut up to the Canadian border.

The hub also features local and regional bus stops and designated bike lanes with secure onsite bike racks. The chargers are meant to cater to everyone: from local residents and visitors to municipal EVs and commercial vehicles that service the region’s businesses, like those in food and beverage manufacturing.

Gabe Klein, executive director of the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, sees this as a model for future projects:

Multi-modal charging hubs in communities are key to giving more people the choice to ride and drive electric. The Town of Deerfield is showing leadership in building out convenient charging infrastructure that brings new transportation choices to rural and disadvantaged communities while supporting local commerce.

In recent years, Deerfield has experienced increased climate change-driven flooding from nearby rivers, including the Deerfield River, the Connecticut River, and the Bloody Brook. The project incorporates environmental engineering designed to mitigate and adapt to the effects of flooding and climate, including the installation of permeable asphalt and rain gardens, planting of native trees, grasses, and shrubs, and the creation of new greenspace in the center of Deerfield.

The Biden-Harris administration’s CFI Grant Program is expanding EV infrastructure nationwide. It offers grants for projects that complement and expand upon the initiatives of the NEVI program in urban, rural, and disadvantaged and low-income communities. So far, the CFI Grant Program has allocated over $1 billion to nearly 100 projects across the US, encouraging private investments and expanding the EV charging network to make EV ownership more practical and convenient.

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Kia’s new low-cost EV4 was just spotted in the US for the first time

Published

14 hours ago

November 15, 2024

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Kia's new low-cost EV4 was just spotted in the US for the first time

Kia’s upcoming EV4 electric sedan was just spotted testing in the US for the first time. The low-cost EV is expected to make its big debut by the end of the year. Here’s a look at the new model.

The EV4 will round out Kia’s new “EVs for all” master plan launched last year. Kia showcased three new models, the EV3, EV4, and EV5, during its first annual EV Day in October 2023.

During the event, Kia outlined its new global strategy to “lead and accelerate the EV revolution” with a wide range of models priced from $30,000 to $80,000.

Kia plans to rapidly expand its lineup with a series of smaller, lower-priced models. It launched the EV9, its first three-row electric SUV, which is already proving to be a hot seller in the US. Starting at under $55,000, the EV9 is still a great deal compared to others in its class, but Kia plans to go even lower.

The EV3 and EV4 are expected to be among the most affordable electric vehicles when they arrive in the US.

Kia’s new EV4 is now testing in the US

Ahead of its official debut, Kia’s new EV4 sedan was recently caught driving on US streets for the first time.

The latest image from KindelAuto doesn’t reveal much more than what’s been shown in the past, but the fact that it’s now testing in the US is significant.

Kia EV4 caught on US streets for the first time (Source: KindelAuto)

Kia’s EV3 is already on sale in Korea, starting at around $30,000 (42.08 million won). Earlier this week, the company said its new compact SUV is now available across Europe, starting at around $38,000 (36,000 euros) with a “segment-leading range” of up to 375 miles (WLTP).

Next up will be the EV4. Kia is expected to officially reveal the new EV by the end of the year, with deliveries starting in 2025. It could be as soon as next week at the 2024 LA Auto Show.

The interior will feature Kia’s advanced new ccNC infotainment system with dual 12.3″ navigation and driver display screens. An otherwise minalimalistic design is expected inside.

Kia’s EV4 will also be available in a hatchback variant. Although the hatch is likely aimed at European buyers, it was also recently spotted testing in the US for the first time.