Caitlin Long takes aim at the New York Times over crypto ‘alarm’ article

Avanti Bank and Trust CEO Caitlin Long has posted a rebuttal to a current New York Times article claiming that crypto and decentralized finance (D is “disrupting the banking trade” so quick regulators can’t sustain.

Disrupting conventional finance is strictly what crypto and DeFi aspire to do, however the piece titled “Crypto’s Rapid Move Into Banking Elicits Alarm in Washington” printed on Sunday had numerous inaccuracies and omissions based on Long.

The main argument of the piece — utilizing DeFi startup BlockFi for example — was that crypto derivatives and extremely leveraged merchandise have develop into a nightmare for regulators, that are scrambling to catch up. High-stakes hypothesis is leaving buyers susceptible to main losses based on the New York Times.

But Long said that the concern shouldn’t be black and white and prompt that “anti-crypto forces” are continuously attempting to color the complete trade with the similar brush. “Bad actors need to be referred to as out, however the article ignores the undeniable fact that regulatory-compliant corporations exist,” she added.

Long took specific concern with the undeniable fact that the article failed to say that absolutely regulated crypto banks exist already, similar to her personal Wyoming-based Avanti, which launched in October 2020.

She said that Wyoming’s particular financial institution constitution doesn’t permit “cryptocurrency deposits.” Regulated banks can present custody companies for crypto, she continued to clarify, however can’t take deposits in something besides fiat forex.

“Article misses that important level — it’s a firewall defending Fed’s cost system from publicity to something aside from $ [USD].”

The article additionally identified that many crypto intermediaries have launched a few of the “unhealthy conduct” from conventional finance similar to excessive leverage with out requiring a capital buffer. These are truthful criticisms, based on Long, who has beforehand cautioned about leverage, including that only a few crypto intermediaries, similar to brokers or third events appearing between the financial institution and the blockchain, disclose details about their reserves.

Related: ‘Bitcoin shouldn’t be an asset that’s designed to be leveraged,’ says Caitlin Long

Long said that DeFi platforms, specifically, do a much better job with transparency than crypto intermediaries or conventional banks, which stays considered one of its greatest attributes. Banks settle their books as soon as a day, whereas crypto is settled in minutes, and for that motive, the Avanti Bank CEO concluded:

“Regulated banks that deal with crypto must be in a straightjacket. That’s the solely secure & sound option to combine the crypto & conventional methods.”

Vehemently anti-crypto United States Senator Elizabeth Warren was nonetheless on the warpath this week when she labeled the complete cryptocurrency trade the “new shadow financial institution” as reported on S. She expressed specific considerations over stablecoins and their obvious lack of transparency relating to reserves.

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