Chinese crypto traders turn to over-the-counter (OTC) platforms despite regulatory scrutiny, reported by Bloomberg. Traders are doing this since China started imposing regulations in the market around 2017.
Earlier this month, after the federal government warning alternative fee between china Yuan and the stable coin Tether, fell by almost 4.4%. It hard-to-trace the nature of transactions on native OTC platforms and peer-to-peer networks. This means it will be tough for authorities to enforce a wholesale ban.
Before China outlawed crypto exchanges in 2017 native buyers owned an estimated 7% of the world’s bitcoin and 80% of trading. Right now, the exchange ban has made it not possible to gauge these figures. However, Chinese investors still believed to have a significant presence in the crypto world via domestic and OTC platforms and offshore venues.
For the government, it’s difficult to domestic trade involving yuan and digital coins because they typically take place in 2 separate steps.
The first happens on OTC platform operated by firms including Huobi and OKEx, allowing traders to post bids and offers. Once both sides agree on a price the buyer will use a separate payment platform. Highly operated by their bank or fintech company like Ant Group Co to send yuan to the seller. Till the yuan cost clears, the digital coins are usually held in escrow by the OTC platform. Chinese regulators have no way to connect one step of the transaction to the other.
After the government’s regulations, Huobi and OKEx halted their local mining operations and mining services for Chinese customers. Huboi said “It stopped its miner hosting services in mainland china and it scaling back future contracts and leveraged investment product in some market. It’s unclear whether the firm to shut its OTC platform.”
Though Chinese government is working on a trial of Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). They allowed payments using digital yuan in the shopping festival. They are also testing digital yuan with International users at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
OTC platforms are an exchange platform for assets not listed on a formal exchange or traded via private book. Such platforms allow wealthy traders or investors to invest in markets more privately.
