Binance Faces Backlash as #BoycottBinance Trends Amidst Pump-and-Dump Accusations

The cryptocurrency world is currently embroiled in a major controversy, with Binance, the world's largest crypto exchange, at the center of the storm.

Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, has come under scrutiny for allegedly manipulating altcoin prices through pump-and-dump schemes, futures trading, and market-making tactics, sparking a hashtag #BoycottBinance trend on X (formerly Twitter).

As crypto analyst Jesus Martinez pointed out, Binance has been liquidating newly listed altcoins on a massive scale, according to his analysis. Martinez, who has been warning traders about sudden price swings and Binance's market-making strategies, added that the exchange is using “very dirty tactics to try to pump up tokens.”

Another crypto trader, Altcoin Whale (Bitcoin), shared charts highlighting the rapid crash of Act I: The AI Prophecy (ACT) and GUNZ (GUN) after their listing on Binance. The trader accused Binance of prioritizing the listing of low-quality meme coins, leading to increased volatility and panic selling among retail investors.

According to data from Coinglass, a service that tracks cryptocurrency liquidations, the largest single liquidation order in the past 24 hours was placed on Binance’s ACT/USDT perpetual futures pair. The service's data shows that a $3.79 million long position was liquidated.

Crypto influencer Blockchain Bob suggested in a post that traders could profit by shorting any coin listed on Binance, adding that newly listed tokens on the exchange usually get dumped.

"P.S: If you are a newbie and you want to make risk-free cash, short any coin about to be listed on Binance... It’s that simple 😂 You need proof?? 👇See what they did to $HIPPO and $ACT... lol," said Bob.

Another analyst, Crypto Sheriff, described the situation as an “April Fools joke” played on investors.

CoinMarketCap data shows that the price of ACT has plummeted by 92% since March 28, when Binance announced the listing of the token. The token was discovered to be a scam project and was delisted by Binance on April 1.

The rapid crash of newly listed tokens has led to suspicions that Binance’s trading mechanisms might be contributing to the sharp price declines.

In response to the allegations and investor backlash, the ACT project team acknowledged concerns over the token's performance.

"We are aware of the recent price fluctuations of the ACT token and the concerns that many investors have raised. We want to assure everyone that we are closely monitoring the situation and working diligently to provide the best possible support to our community," the project team said in a statement.

They added that the price crash was beyond their control and promised to conduct a thorough postmortem analysis to provide transparency to their investors.

"We will be sharing a detailed report on the factors that led to the price movements and the steps we are taking to mitigate such risks in the future. Our aim is to ensure the long-term sustainability and value of the ACT ecosystem."

Many in the crypto space have been arguing that CEXs, like Binance, have too much power, which allows them to potentially manipulate token prices. They believe that this controversy presents an opportunity for DEXs to gain more traction and adoption.

Also, several traders and developers are calling for more transparency in token listings, fairer trading mechanisms, and greater adoption of DeFi platforms that eliminate intermediaries and promote user self-custody of assets.