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Coinbase Pauses Conversions Between USDC and U.S. Dollars as Banking Crisis Roils Crypto
Circle earlier confirmed it has $3.3 billion backing its USDC stablecoin parked at now-shuttered Silicon Valley Bank.
By Danny Nelson
Updated May 9, 2023, 4:10 a.m. Published Mar 11, 2023, 4:14 a.m.
Coinbase (COIN) hit the brakes on conversions between the USDC stablecoin and U.S. dollars late Friday as fallout from Silicon Valley Bank's (SIVB) collapse spread into the heart of crypto trading.
In a tweet, the crypto exchange said it was "temporarily pausing" the conversions while banks are closed over the weekend. The exchange said it planned to restart conversions on Monday.
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The pause speaks to the chaos that's roiled the crypto industry's second-largest stablecoin in the wake of Silicon Valley Bank's demise on Friday. Speculating on the stability of USDC, traders redeemed $1.6 billion of USDC, lowering its total supply.
Late in the day, Circle confirmed that $3.3 billion of the $40 billion backing its stablecoin was on deposit at the now-shuttered lender. The fate of that cash is now uncertain, with Silicon Valley Bank having been seized by the FDIC and USDC – for the moment – having lost its dollar peg.
"Circle is currently protecting USDC from a black swan failure in the U.S. banking system," tweeted Circle Chief Strategy Officer Dante Disparte late Friday night. "Silicon Valley Bank is a critical bank in the U.S. economy and its failure – without a Federal rescue plan – will have broader implications for business, banking and entrepreneurs."
"During periods of heightened activity, conversions rely on USD transfers from the banks that clear during normal banking hours," Coinbase said in its tweet announcing the conversion pause. "When banks open on Monday, we plan to re-commence conversions."
We are temporarily pausing USDC:USD conversions over the weekend while banks are closed. During periods of heightened activity, conversions rely on USD transfers from the banks that clear during normal banking hours. When banks open on Monday, we plan to re-commence conversions.
— Coinbase 🛡️ (@coinbase) March 11, 2023
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USDC Issuer Circle Secures Abu Dhabi's ADGM License in Middle East Expansion
The license allows Circle to expand USDC payment and settlement tools across the United Arab Emirates.
What to know:
- Circle has obtained a Financial Services Permission license from Abu Dhabi Global Market, allowing it to operate as a Money Services Provider in the UAE.
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- The approval comes as part of the UAE's emergence as a global hub for regulated digital assets, following similar licenses granted to Binance.
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