First Mover Americas: SEC Scrutnizes Crypto Audits; SBF Gets Bail

The latest price moves in crypto markets in context for Dec. 23, 2022.

AccessTimeIconDec 23, 2022 at 1:40 p.m. UTC
Updated Dec 23, 2022 at 3:40 p.m. UTC
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This article originally appeared in First Mover, CoinDesk’s daily newsletter putting the latest moves in crypto markets in context. Subscribe to get it in your inbox every day.

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Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried has been released on bail after appearing in U.S. federal court in New York on Thursday. Bankman-Fried was told he can live with his parents on $250 million bail secured in part by their Palo Alto, California, house. His release also includes a long list of requirements for him to remain free while he faces charges. He's not allowed to make financial transactions of more than $1,000, can't open new lines of credit, can't leave the house except to exercise and must go through substance abuse and mental health treatment, according to the agreement.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is increasing its scrutiny of audits of cryptocurrency companies in an effort to warn investors who may feel assured by audits such as proof-of-reserve reports. “Investors should not place too much confidence in the mere fact a company says it’s got a proof-of-reserves from an audit firm,” said Paul Munter, the SEC’s acting chief accountant. Having such a report “is not enough information for an investor to assess whether the company has sufficient assets to cover its liabilities,” he added.

Tron founder Justin Sun was a top client of crypto asset manager Valkyrie Investments. A private financial document reviewed by CoinDesk shows that Sun, one of the richest figures in crypto, was responsible for the vast majority of a key Valkyrie division’s assets under management. He had more than $580 million of bitcoin stashed with the asset manager at one point in August. This amounted to over 90% of money at Valkyrie’s largest division, Valkyrie Digital Assets LLC.

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  • The chart shows year-to-date performance of bitcoin and crypto stocks.
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Lyllah Ledesma

Lyllah Ledesma is a CoinDesk Markets reporter currently based in Europe. She holds bitcoin, ether and small amounts of other crypto assets.


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