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>MtGox was also a scam by the end, since they were trading on their exchange bitcoins and USD that they didn't actually have for people to cash out. Heh. When
by dTal 8y ago
>MtGox was also a scam by the end, since they were trading on their exchange bitcoins and USD that they didn't actually have for people to cash out.
Heh. When a bitcoin exchange does it, it's a "scam". When a bank does it, it's "fractional reserve".
- danharaj 8y agoBanks don't pretend that they're not fractional reserve.
- kevingadd 8y agoFractional reserve is also regulated and deposits are insured up to a certain amount, so it's definitely not comparable to printing imaginary USDT - even if fractional reserve banking has many well-known issues.
- hapnin 8y agoThat regulation didn't work so well 10 years ago. Regulation is for us, not the big dogs.
- jnwatson 8y agoIt worked fine. I don’t know what you’re talking about.
- hapnin 8y agoAmericans got screwed and no banking executives went to jail. It didn't work. It's one of the reasons Bitcoin was created, per the first transaction in the blockchain.
- s73v3r_ 8y agoNo one really went to jail because they didn't break any laws. They fucked up, but not in an illegal manner.
- kevingadd 8y agoFractional reserve banking is not what failed in the financial crisis. Multiple things failed, including credit ratings, mutual funds/pensions/etc investing in high risk investments, etc. The biggest risk people think of for fractional reserve - they won't have the money when you need it, a run on banks, etc - didn't really happen in the states in any significant fashion.
- ufo 8y agoBanks that use fractional reserve should still have balanced assets and liabilities. It is just that some of their money is tied up in loans to be paid back instead of liquid cash. If everyone the bank loaned money to paid back there would be enough cash to allow all the customers to fully withdraw their accounts. Bitfinex, on the other hand, is just outright insolvent.
- dTal 8y agoAh, so there is a difference. Thank you for clarifying. I wish I had phrased my post as a question - as a statement it seems rather unpopular...
- ufo 8y agoYou would be surprised how often other people use that exact argument but as a statement they say full of conviction instead of a question :) That might be the source of the confusion here.
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- tptacek 8y agoIt also helps that banks are insured federally.