Did this Coin Metrics analyst discover the important thing to the entire Alameda/ FTX tale? As a result of let’s face it, it doesn’t make sense. Either one of Sam Bankman-Fried’s companies have been extraordinarily winning. FTX was once the sector’s third-biggest change and rising, why would someone possibility killing that golden goose? There should were an underlying purpose. Did this Coin Metrics analyst discover it within the on-chain knowledge? He would possibly have.
The Head of R&D at Coin Metrics, Lucas Nuzzi, ends his thread with a caution: “Necessary to notice that that is my very own non-public highly-speculative tackle what came about in response to those on-chain artifacts.” The case the Coin Metrics analyst is making rests on forged on-chain knowledge, however the interpretation of what stated knowledge way is “highly-speculative.” So, take it with a grain of salt and don’t move round pronouncing that is precisely what came about, as it will not be.
That being stated, yikes!
The Coin Metrics Analyst Makes The Case
Lucas Nuzzi begins with a remark of truth, “I discovered proof that FTX would possibly have supplied a large bailout for Alameda in Q2 which now got here again to hang-out them.” After which, he poses a thriller. “40 days in the past, 173 million FTT tokens price over 4B USD become lively on-chain.” The place did the ones tokens move? You guessed it, Alameda Analysis. The day was once September 28th. A record-breaking $8.6B in FTT moved that day.
2/ That day, September 28, over 8.6 Billion USD price of FTT was once moved on-chain.
That was once by means of a long way the biggest day by day transfer of FTT within the token’s life and one of the crucial biggest ERC20 day by day strikes we ever recorded at Coin Metrics. pic.twitter.com/GnUO1ZcCB7
— Lucas Nuzzi (@LucasNuzzi) November 8, 2022
“That was once by means of a long way the biggest day by day transfer of FTT within the token’s life and one of the crucial biggest ERC20 day by day strikes we ever recorded at Coin Metrics,” Nuzzi tweeted. What was once taking place round Alameda and FTX close to that point? Not anything particular, truly.
- On August 24th, Sam Trabucco stepped down from the Co-CEO place at Alameda Analysis. “I can keep on as an marketing consultant, however in a different way is not going to proceed to have a powerful daily presence on the corporate,” Trabucco tweeted.
- On September 27th, Brett Harrison stepped down from the CEO place at FTX. “Over the following few months I’ll be moving my duties and shifting into an advisory position on the corporate,” Harrison tweeted.
- This one is the kicker. On September 28th, Sam Bankman-Fried tweeted, “Heads up: rotating a couple of FTX wallets lately (most commonly non-circulating); we do that periodically. May well be a couple of extra coming, received’t have any impact.”
If all of that is true, that remaining SBF tweet will most certainly make an look in courtroom.
FTT value chart for 11/09/2022 on FTX | Supply: FTT/USD on TradingView.com
So, What Did Alameda Do With The Cash?
Consider it or no longer, the FTT tokens got here immediately from the unique ICO good contract. The Coin Metrics analyst “discovered a strange transaction that interacted with a freelance from the FTT ICO. This 2019 contract *mechanically* launched 173 Million FTT from the token’s ICO.” Odd, however each organizations are joined on the hip. Then, issues took a peculiar flip. “Alameda then despatched that *complete* stability to the cope with of the deployer (author) of the FTT ERC20, which is managed by means of anyone at FTX.”
4/ The recipient of the $4.19 B USD price of FTT tokens was once no person however Alameda Analysis!
So what? Alameda and FTX have been intrinsically attached from day 1 and Alameda clearly participated within the FTX ICO.
However what came about subsequent was once fascinating…
— Lucas Nuzzi (@LucasNuzzi) November 8, 2022
WHAT?
The Coin Metrics Analyst’s Idea
In step with Lucas Nuzzi, Alameda Analysis wasn’t resistant to the crypto contagion that plagued the gap in Q2. If truth be told, the corporate would possibly’ve blown up with 3AC, Voyager, and Celsius. “It ONLY survived as it was once in a position to protected investment from FTX the use of as “collateral” the 172M FTT that was once assured to vest Four months later.” That’s an especially dangerous transfer. It virtually turns out like FTX didn’t have a decision.
8/ The Alameda bailout most likely put a dent on FTXs stability sheet to the purpose the place it was once now not solvent.
This could were high quality if the cost of FTT did not cave in and a financial institution run ensued
For this reason Alameda attempted their very best to give protection to FTT’s value.https://t.co/nX1tphjLNR
— Lucas Nuzzi (@LucasNuzzi) November 8, 2022
They didn’t, as a result of “the FTT ICO contract vests mechanically. Had FTX let Alameda implode in Would possibly, their cave in would have ensured the following liquidation of all FTT tokens vested in September.” If the state of affairs the Coin Metrics analyst poses is actual, SBF and corporate needed to do it. And so they paid a heavy value for it. “The Alameda bailout most likely put a dent on FTXs stability sheet to the purpose the place it was once now not solvent. This could were high quality if the cost of FTT didn’t cave in and a financial institution run ensued.”
This Is The place CZ And Binance Come In
On this state of affairs, CZ And Binance come what may came upon in regards to the deal. And the largest cryptocurrency change by means of buying and selling quantity had a heavy FTT bag. “As a part of Binance’s go out from FTX fairness remaining 12 months, Binance won kind of $2.1 billion USD an identical in money (BUSD and FTT),” CZ tweeted when he introduced they have been liquidating. What does this heavy FTT bag imply? The Coin Metrics analyst explains, “As huge holders of FTT, they might get started intentionally tanking that marketplace to drive FTX to stand a liquidity crunch.”
And so they did.
After which they presented to shop for FTX and relieve them in their issues.
Possibly for pennies at the greenback.
A grasp stroke, if true.
However bear in mind the Coin Metrics’ analyst caution, “Necessary to notice that that is my very own non-public highly-speculative tackle what came about in response to those on-chain artifacts.”
Featured Symbol by means of Gerd Altmann from Pixabay | Charts by means of TradingView