Binance, the major cryptocurrency exchange, is looking to diversify its business interests by acquiring companies outside the scope of cryptocurrency.
Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the CEO of Binance, said:
“We want to identify and invest in one or two targets in every economic sector and try to bring them into crypto.”
It has been reported that already holding the title of the world’s largest crypto exchange, Binance is aiming to bring in companies from traditional markets in an attempt to further increase broad-scale crypto adoption and diversify its own business.
However, CZ went on to say that nudging traditional companies to embrace crypto will put pressure on the slow-movers and increase overall market competition. This announcement comes not long after Binance’s monumental $200 million investment in publisher Forbes, in early February, solidifying Binance as one of the two largest owners of the media company.
The report said that these moves continue to demonstrate the burgeoning real-world power of the cryptocurrency industry more broadly, which has seen Binance grow to an estimated valuation of approximately $300 billion and established CZ as the 11th richest man in the world.
Likewise, while crypto exchanges have previously plastered their logos on stadiums and stolen the show at the Super Bowl, acquiring such a significant stake in a legacy media company like Forbes positions Binance as a serious player in acquisitions and investments. Binance has dabbled before in buying assets and companies that sit outside of its immediate core business, having previously acquired crypto data website CoinMarketCap in April 2020, as well as purchasing a majority stake in the card-payment services giant Swipe in late Dec. 2021.
In terms of diversifying revenue, scooping up traditional businesses outside of digital assets seems to be a wise move, 90% of which is currently sourced from trading fees on its exchange. The news about Binance’s ambitions beyond cryptocurrency comes as the exchange continues to fall under increasing scrutiny from regulators around the world.
Four days ago, the UK Financial Conduct Authority issued a shot across the bows about a strategic partnership between Binance's in-house card payment services Bifinity and investment firm Eqonex in which a $36 million convertible loan was provided to expand the companies' products, including the currently FCA-registered Digivault.
Thus, the FCA said, that individuals and entities that are part of the Binance Group may have become beneficial owners of Digivault for the purposes of the Money Laundering Regulations, suggesting potential regulatory problems for Digivault.
Source: Cointelegraph
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