China’s cryptocurrency ban: What it means for Bitcoin, Coinbase and the US

The epicenter of Bitcoin mining has referred to as it quits. On Sept. 24, China’s Central Bank declared all crypto-related transitions illegal, citing considerations about playing fraud and cash laundering. The transfer sparked a pointy drop in markets; some buyers raced to dump their holdings, and the value of Bitcoin fell almost 10% after the announcement, earlier than shortly regaining some misplaced floor. 

China’s crypto crackdown comes as governments world wide — including the US — start to coalesce their official positions on digital property and digital currencies. The Chinese language authorities has lengthy been doubtful of cryptocurrency, so the transfer to ban it outright is not completely stunning. Under, we break down the implications of China’s announcement, its affect on exchanges within the US and elsewhere — and what it may imply for digital currencies in 2022 and past.

What was China’s official place main as much as the ban? 

China has lengthy been crypto-skeptical. In 2013, the nation banned Chinese language banks from dealing with Bitcoin. In 2017, China banned preliminary coin choices — the crypto model of an preliminary public providing — whereby a cryptocurrency startup sells cash or tokens to lift funds for the enterprise. The Folks’s Financial institution of China, which is the nation’s central financial institution, designated them an unlawful type of fundraising. 

Learn extra: Initial coin offerings, explained

Extra not too long ago, China has taken intention at crypto-mining operations inside its borders. In 2019, China’s state planner expressed interest in banning Bitcoin mining. And earlier this yr, the Chinese language authorities outlawed crypto mining in varied provinces — together with the Bitcoin mining epicenter of Sichuan. It is nonetheless unclear how the ban will have an effect on e-CNY, China’s personal state-backed digital foreign money.

How central is China to cryptocurrency mining?

Till now, a lot of the world’s crypto mining has taken place in China, with the US in a distant second place. In April 2021, 47% of all crypto mining occurred in China, according to the University of Cambridge. In distinction, the US accounted for 16.8% of the world’s crypto mining throughout that very same month. 

Within the close to time period, that can probably change. Even earlier than the official announcement, a crypto-mining migration of kinds was already underway. And days after the announcement, authorities within the Chinese language province of Interior Mongolia seized over 10,000 computer systems that had been specifically personalized for crypto mining, as reported by Coindesk. 

Will the China ban affect the value of Bitcoin?

Following China’s official announcement banning digital foreign money, “China FUD” started trending on Twitter. Many customers had been quick to point out that earlier Chinese language statements about crypto had produced “concern, uncertainty and doubt” — however had been adopted by short-lived downturns and should not be taken too significantly. Certainly, by the next Monday, the value of Bitcoin was roughly the identical as earlier than the announcement. 

Learn extra: Here’s how much electricity it takes to mine Bitcoin and why people are worried

How does the ban affect cryptocurrency exchanges?

China’s ban extends to crypto exchanges that do enterprise with Chinese language residents — even when they’re positioned outdoors of China. Crypto exchanges at the moment are struggling to figure out methods to take care of Chinese language prospects. Coinbase, which is without doubt one of the most outstanding US-based cryptocurrency exchanges, didn’t publicly touch upon the ban. However buyers shunned its debut bond sale within the wake of the announcement, according to Bloomberg.

How has the US authorities responded?

Although the US authorities has not but taken an official place on the Chinese language legislation, a handful of lawmakers had been fast to weigh in following the ban: