Q1 Earnings for Spot Bitcoin ETF and Bankman-Fried’s Incarceration Term

After Bitcoin (BTC) saw a mostly positive previous week above $70,000, it started the latest week in a dip under that value. Bitcoin wrapped up the first quarter boasting an approximately 68% gain, majorly fueled by the spot bitcoin ETFs which attracted more than $12 billion in net inflows since the beginning of the year.

The previous week witnessed significant legal developments concerning crypto entities. The former FTX head, Sam Bankman-Fried, has been sanctioned with a two-and-a-half-decade incarceration nearly one and a half years following the exchange’s demise. Meanwhile, KuCoin faces new charges pertaining to anti-money laundering violations. Concurrently, Coinbase’s (COIN) legal attempt to counter the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) lawsuit was nullified, paving the way for a forthcoming trial.

Spot Bitcoin ETFs Attract $12 Billion

The opening quarter of the year saw around $12.1 billion poured into eleven new SEC-endorsed spot bitcoin ETFs. iShares Bitcoin Trust from Blackrock (IBIT) emerged as the frontrunner in garnering inflows with a substantial $13.9 billion infused into the fund.

Grayscale’s Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) faced an outflow of investors withdrawing nearly $14.7 billion, primarily due to raised fees. GBTC, converted to an ETF earlier in the year, is recognized as the foremost and largest bitcoin fund. Grayscale has declared its intent for a smaller bitcoin ETF featuring lower fees to mitigate these outflows.

After a transformation from a bitcoin futures ETF, Hashdex’s DEFI ETF made its debut as a spot bitcoin ETF on March 27.

Sam Bankman-Fried Receives 25-Year Sentence

Bankman-Fried has been convicted to serve a 25-year term, along with supervised release for an additional three years, followed by the forfeiture of more than $11 billion as restitution for FTX’s customers. This move comes after the fraudulent collapse of FTX in late 2022.

A liquidity crisis signalled the downfall of FTX in November 2022, uncovering mismanagement and funding misuse leading to estimated $8 billion in losses.

FTX’s bankruptcy plan forecasts it may return up to 90% of funds lost by users, calculated according to the value of assets at the time of the exchange’s downfall.

KuCoin Charged for Anti-Money Laundering Infractions

The U.S. Attorney’s Office alleges KuCoin has been implicated in anti-money laundering lapses, citing over $9 billion moved suspiciously through the exchange.

KuCoin founders Chun Gan and Ke Tang are accused of defying U.S. regulatory standards, allowing KuCoin to oversee a sizeable volume of trades daily without legal compliance.

The indictment highlights how KuCoin intentionally evaded financial regulations and masked its dealings involving American users.

Coinbase’s Effort to Dismiss SEC Lawsuit Unsuccessful

Coinbase’s motion to dismiss the SEC’s claims that it offered unregistered securities has been overruled, with the case set for court proceedings.

Coinbase prepares to defend against the SEC’s accusations in an essential legal showdown concerning cryptocurrency regulation.

The lawsuit delves into SEC’s contention that Coinbase offered crypto tokens that qualify as securities without regulatory consent, marking a pivotal moment in the regulatory front of the crypto landscape.

Market Expectations for the Week

The trading community keenly observes the ongoing attention on spot bitcoin ETFs. Further, the prospect of a potential spot ether ETF approval remains in focus with eyes on the decision timeline.

Probabilities for a spot ether ETF approval by the end of May have decreased, with market anticipation building toward the end of the year while the SEC reviews ether’s legal classification.

In other developments, FTX is reportedly divesting its stake in Solana, which led to a slump in Solana’s trading price on Monday.