Gotbit’s multi-million dollar charges may spark FUD, but fear-driven sell-offs could trigger a swift recovery, Santiment predicts.
The recent criminal charges against Aleksei Andriunin, CEO of market-making firm Gotbit, for a $42 million crypto market manipulation scheme have sent shockwaves through the industry, though analysts suggest the eventual outcome might actually be positive for the space.
As crypto.news reported earlier, Andriunin and Gotbit face charges for inflating crypto trading volumes through “wash trading,” creating the illusion of active markets before dumping assets at inflated prices. Despite the short-term panic, blockchain analytics Santiment points to historical trends indicating that such fear-driven sell-offs often create buying opportunities for more experienced traders.
Brian Quinlivan, director of marketing at Santiment, highlighted in a recent blog post that “markets tend to move in the opposite direction of the crowd’s expectations, especially when fear-driven retail activity dominates 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.”
Brian Quinlivan
He noted that panic selling may lead to a capitulation effect, where the worst-case scenario is already priced in, setting the stage for a potential bullish reversal, creating opportunities for institutional investors and market participants.
Santiment warns that the broader crypto market could face short-term disruptions “especially those directly connected to the manipulation, like Robo Inu and Saitama.” However, Quinlivan emphasized that “moments of extreme FUD often coincide with market bottoms,” and the removal of Gotbit’s market manipulation practices could lead to a “healthier, more transparent trading environment, increasing confidence in cryptocurrency markets.”
Gotbit, which has been active since 2017, was co-founded by Andryunin and Iuliia Milianovich. Per the firm’s description, its platform-based solution was aimed at giving project founders more control over their markets. In July 2019, Andryunin publicly acknowledged that the firm’s business “is not entirely ethical” and expressed intentions to wind down its market-making operations due to challenges with strict customer identification processes.
The firm’s website listed several prominent crypto exchanges and venture firms, including Binance, OKX, Crypto.com, a16z, Gate.io, and Bybit, in its “our friends” section. However, it remains unclear if these entities have any formal connections to Gotbit.