The recent criminal charges against Aleksei Andriunin, CEO of market-making firm Gotbit, for allegedly orchestrating a $42 million crypto market manipulation scheme have sent ripples through the industry.
However, analysts believe that the eventual fallout could yield positive developments for the sector.
As previously reported, Andriunin and Gotbit are facing charges for inflating crypto trading volumes through “wash trading,” which created a false perception of active markets before dumping assets at inflated prices.
Despite the immediate panic this has caused, blockchain analytics firm Santiment highlights historical trends showing that fear-driven sell-offs often present buying opportunities for seasoned traders. They also warned that the broader crypto market may face short-term disruptions, especially for assets directly connected to the manipulation, like Robo Inu and Saitama.
Brian Quinlivan, director of marketing at Santiment, noted in a recent blog post that
“markets often move contrary to the crowd’s expectations, particularly when fear-driven retail activity takes centre stage in the headlines.”
“While the immediate reaction might be a small dip, as news of the manipulation scheme spreads, there’s a strong likelihood that the market could absorb the panic and swiftly reverse direction,”
Quinlivan noted.
He observed that panic selling can trigger a capitulation effect, where the worst-case scenario is already factored into prices. This situation may pave the way for a potential bullish reversal, creating opportunities for institutional investors and other market participants.
Quinlivan stressed that
“periods of extreme fear, uncertainty, and doubt often align with market bottoms.”
He suggested that eliminating Gotbit’s manipulative practices could create a
“healthier, more transparent trading environment, ultimately boosting confidence in cryptocurrency markets.”
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Andriunin and Iuliia Milianovich founded Gotbit in 2017 to give project founders greater market control through its platform-based solution. In July 2019, Andriunin openly admitted that the firm’s business practices “are not entirely ethical” and indicated plans to scale back its market-making operations due to difficulties with stringent customer identification requirements.
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