Binance-Backed WazirX Exchange to Delist USDC, USDP & TUSD

Indian cryptocurrency trading platform WazirX has announced it will be delisting USD Coin (USDC), USDP, and TUSD in a move that is similar to its so-called parent company, Binance Exchange.

In a Monday update, WazirX said the deposit support for these tokens has already been halted, and that withdrawal support will run from now until 5 p.m, IST on September 23rd.

The exchange said the tokens will automatically be converted to Binance USD (BUSD) and the conversion will run until October 5. 

The conversion from USDC, USDP, and TUSD will be on the ratio of 1:1. While the delisting process is billed to continue until September 26, the trading platform said users will still be able to view “their USDC, USDP, and TUSD balances under the BUSD-denominated account balance when the conversion is complete.”

The delisting of the three tokens comes off as regulatory scrutiny mounts, as well as Binance exchange made a similar move in the past month. 

The move has been welcomed with dissenting views by industry stakeholders, however, veterans like Jeremy Allaire, the co-founder and Chief Executive Officier of USDC issuer, Circle have backed the exchange, noting among many things that the delisting of USDC may push the stablecoin to become the standard stablecoin rail between centralized exchanges (CEXs) and decentralized exchanges (DEXs).

With WazirX making a similar move from Binance, it is not clear at this time whether the two trading platforms have set aside their differences especially as it concerns the ownership of the Indian offshoot. 

During the probe of WazirX over fraud-related cases by the Indian Enforcement Directorate (ED), dust was raised as to the ownership status of the exchange. While there is an understanding that Binance had earlier acquired WazirX based on an announcement dating back to 2019, the trading platform’s CEO Changpeng Zhao in a spat with WazirX’s Nischal Shetty said the acquisition did not pull through.

While the ownership status is yet to be cleared, that WazirX is delisting the top stablecoins on its platform in favor of BUSD shows there is a connection between both entities.