The rapidly growing presence of Binance exchange in the crypto world is typically applauded as a great financial success story. A true success story, however, should not radiate continuous shady haze, if it is legitimate. I've followed Chico Crypto's investigation of "CZ," Binance, Erik Zhang, Neo, Justin Sun, Tron and have been substantially convinced that Chico is on to something with the Binance flotilla of questionable characters. [Caveat: Chico Crypto was a Neo proponent only a few months back.]
A year or so ago, Binance was just another small wannabe exchange. It had a scattering of offices, which seemed either to be a total emersion into the decentralized ideal of cryptocurrency or a potential fly-by-night operation. Although I believe CZ had a residence in Shanghai, China, Binance's main operation appeared to be located in Japan. Further, unlike the centralized, Marxist-led government of China, Japan was relatively friendly toward cryptocurrency-related business. However, due to a number of attention-grabbing hacks and other unruly doings, the Japanese authorities began to issue new rules and regulations. About this same time, Binance began to scan the world for a new home. Naturally, it would first look to the Far East for a less governmentally intrusive spot. This effort apparently failed, even though many such companies operated out of Singapore.
Many were surprised by CZ's selection of Malta, a notorious island of intrigue, which is located in the eastern central area of the Mediterranean Sea. Early reports stated that Malta's governmental authorities were "friendly" to cryptocurrency companies. This report might not be overly comforting to some observers who expect overt political welcome to have a shady, quid quo pro component.
After its move to Malta, Binance rapidly developed. Suddenly, YTubers and bloggers were "hyping" Binance every week, if not day. CZ was open to the crypto world, providing tidbits for Binance's expanding base of enthusiastic supporters. CZ, according to some, was a political giant striding across the globe, opening Binance branches in areas previously inhabited by numerous "unbanked" people.
Would CZ help the unemployed or marginally employed people of Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America, who were penniless - or nearly so, load up on Bitcoin and Ethereum? No. Would he help them load up on Binance coin? Here, he might help with some airdrops, which would be good for publicity. [This would be prior to the great run-up of the Binance coin.] Most likely scenario: CZ would help penniless people obtain worthless cryptos. Would they benefit? Surely there would be psychological benefit to receiving "money" for free, even if you couldn't buy anything with it. Many people, after all, would be pleased to receive one billion bolivares from Venezuela, until they learned they were nearly worthless.
As was demonstrated by Chico Crypto in his YTube program, CZ and his team were not above mining the codes of companies applying to be listed on Binance to further its family of available projects, such as a decentralized exchange. Perfectly legal but smelly. Still, CZ's pal, Justin Sun had put Tron together in a "cut-n-paste" of Ethereum code, which, again, is common. When Tron left the Ethereum platform for its own, its mainnet had numerous code bugs (still does), but, apparently like Binance, Justin Sun relied on a marketing fusillade to grab the attention of "to-the-moon" dreamers. Tron bought BitTorrent, garnering great attention. Perhaps inevitably, Binance and Tron soon found one another, and machinations were fertilized.
For the sake of CZ and "The Binance Vision," Neo's top man, Erik Zhang, has all but abandoned Neo to do developer work for CZ, especially in the dex project. Why leave Neo stalled on the Crypto "Yellow Brick Road?"
Everything that Binance does appears to turn anyone or anything that approaches its orbit into a paying captive object. It is all enough to turn the numerous opponents of centralized capitalism in the crypto world into enthusiastic Adam Smiths.
But the self-serving operations of CZ and the Binance leadership may carry a totally unsuspected component. Binance may be as much about intelligence operations in behalf of the People's Republic of China ("PRC") as cryptocurrencies. Firstly, the PRC has been opposed to decentralized cryptocurrencies, although cautiously approving the development of the blockchain. Since the PRC cannot hope to control the global blockchain sphere presently, it certainly can watch what others are doing. Especially of interest would be the development of the blockchain in financial matters, which other national intelligence organizations might periodically utilized. If the PRC deemed hacking the Internet operations of national governments and international companies a wise exercise of national self-interest, it is certain that a similar approach would be applied to blockchain operations.
There would be great merit from the PRC perspective to have a huge intel operation going on in Malta. It would have close proximity to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. A crypto operation during a time of waxing interests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain usage would make a very good "cover" for espionage.
There is good reason to suppose that the home of the Knights of Malta would prove fruitful to PRC intelligence agents. The Knights of Malta have an ancient pedigree. Its membership includes some of the richest and most powerful people on Earth. The Queen of England, Elizabeth II, is a member. It appears that Pope Francis I has seized the leadership position of the Knights of Malta, and he has appointed one of his cronies, Cardinal Burke, to be his proxy head. There is considerable unhappiness amongst the formerly independent Knights.
Since the Vatican Bank appears to have, amongst other banking operations, a money laundering function of no modest scope, this financial aspect would have great interest to the PRC, as such knowledge can become a source of leverage.
When dealing with the Roman Catholic hierarchy, paedophilia and child sacrifice are subjects that cannot be eluded. Unlike Jewry, whose leadership can count on stifling such assertions by a counterattack that denounces "anti-Semitic" [blood] libel, the Vatican has proved to be rather feckless at such stifling. Proclamations of the existence of a "Ninth Circle" of a demonic nature high in Vatican circles cannot help but to alarm Christians, as well as decent people generally. Such knowledge by the PRC would give it great leverage over the highest levels of the Vatican.
It is very interesting, indeed, that recently the Argentine leadership announced a cryptocurrency investment program based on the investments of Binance. Hence, Binance (and CZ) would be acting as investment advisors to Argentina. It might be fruitful to recall that Pope Francis I was formerly an Archbishop, then Cardinal, in Argentina. Cardinal Bergoglio was an Argentina national, possessing duo citizenship with the Vatican State. Is there a connection between Binance, the Knights of Malta, Pope Francis I, and the PRC? Where do religion, finance, government and espionage separate in Malta - or the world? Is this a win-win situation for the PRC?
I have not made a convincing case on anything stated above. Yet, to me, something is rotten in Malta - and its stink is spreading.
