Regulators May Restrict Binance's Acquisition of FTX's Non-U.S. Business Due to Antitrust Laws

Binance’s acquisition of FTX’s non-U.S. business has raised industry concerns about antitrust retaliation in the U.S. and elsewhere, CoinDesk reported. Regulators everywhere have powers to block major mergers if they fear the acquisition will limit free market choice, and there are strict laws against anti-competitive behavior, the article said. It is reported that Thibault Schrepel, an associate professor at the University of Amsterdam who specializes in blockchain and antitrust issues, believes that CZ’s tweets may involve antitrust lawsuits, and US law will apply to this case because the transaction affects FTX’s entire company, including its US business. . It is also reported that the deal must also be approved by antitrust authorities in jurisdictions such as the European Union, otherwise these regulators also have the power to block mergers. For larger deals, the European Commission can impose fines of up to 10% of turnover on companies if they get approval "first-hand". CZ described the deal as a non-binding letter of intent, which will be the subject of Binance’s due diligence in the coming days. Spokespeople for FTX, Binance and the European Commission did not immediately respond to requests for comment.