Right I just got some time to get around looking into Tether after recent events, and I have to say I have never seen such an uneducated community get fooled by a "Merkle Tree" proof of reserves?
---Problem one---
The Binance CEO states a Merkle Tree is the best way to prove user funds, why does this not work? There is ZERO way's to check if multiple users are allocated the same USDT (Tether) on their trading accounts or balances.
People hold balances on exchanges for insane APY returns that is another story but I have done some research and hardly anyone is using Tethers "Redeem" feature that you have to be VERIFIED to even use this removes anyone outside the know to have access to this system, ON top of that
Minimum fiat withdrawal or deposit
100,000 USD*
How can you expect people to possibly call the bluff on Tether if their limits are that high? WHY is their limits that high to redeem USDT for a USD currency equivalent balance? How many Stock Apps have limits like this for real USD on app stores? Not many.
---Problem two---
If USERS cannot withdraw small amount of USDT for USD that can be sent to an FDIC insured bank account in America you're all most likely holding a USDT that is valued less than 0.05c on the dollar.
Merkle Tree reserves are completely pointless as you would need to go through millions of accounts, I expect binance would flood this data with 20 million random generated accounts with asset allocation, this means you would have to go through each and every single one of these to confirm with the USER that their assets are allocated to that account.
And if you did this I'm sure you would have multiple accounts claiming to own the same USDT balance.
---Problem Three---
I have spent 5 hours today contacting representatives of major exchanges including Binance, ByBit, Phemex, Bitfinex, all of them are over exposed or completely exposed to keeping funds in USDT even though some of their contracts state USD that is misleading its not a base USD currency. In the real world we use FDIC banks with our trading brokers that settle and use USD balances as the USD is actually allocated and real.
---Problem Four---
Everybody / expert trying to short this crypto market in the final stage is about to lose everything, including your famous influencers you're going to see their wealth disappear faster than the Dot Com bubble CEOs, reason? everyone trading on these platforms are settled in USDT that if a collapse occurs you cannot redeem them. the few exchanges that have US bank accounts tied to their platform will let you redeem them sure, but you can short Bitcoin or Ethereum to -95% levels you could make 100 Million dollars but what's the value of your profits when USDT goes with it and you can only redeem it like a failed UST?
---Problem Five---
How can I explain why this is going on and what's the motivation behind it?, lets use a Casino for the example as many people know Casinos.
This Casino - ONLY operates Texas Hold EM Poker tables and major tournaments. (Which is a perfectly fair game)
This Casino - ONLY allows you to play with their CHIPS that needs to be converted from a USD deposit. (Which is a perfectly fair system, handled by each individual state Casinos are regulated and finances checked to prevent them circulating more CHIPS than USD deposits, states fine them when this happens similar to underage people allowed to gamble hence the incentive makes it pointless to even try as a Casino when you're already winning)
This Casino - Is regulated and checked by many US based Auditors and the US Government, including using real US Bank accounts.
---Final Problem---
I want you to imagine This Casino, running trillions of dollars in poker tournaments attracting people all around the world globally they pay influencers for sign up rewards they create the entire system from scratch, this Casino now has inside players with UNLIMITED CHIPS allocated betting against real people taking users deposits and user assets.
Imagine playing at a poker tournament yes the non Casino insider could win and take a prize but what about the other 97% of players? that's right you have lost everything. You're playing against market makers that see all your stops all your trades and have unlimited USDT to wick your money causing people to lose everything, all the excess Marketcap and profits they gain while actually converting the USD and spending it on real world assets, the only way for them to actually steal your original USD holdings is to make you lose their USDT they allocated you and multiple people at the same time. As dire as this sounds its ingenious.
---Final Warning---
Now Imagine this poker table has 10 million players who bought into the tournament for on average 10,000 USD each and got CHIPS (USDT) to play on the tables.
Now Imagine the situation we are currently in where people figure out the Merkle Tree is pointless and majority of user funds will evaporate the moment people try to find ways to redeem REAL USD, Its over.
This entire Phone app wallets, hardware wallets Ethereum USDT balance chain is irrelevant they have convinced you all to hold their CHIPS on every UNREGULATED point of access possible so you wonder why the SEC does not do anything with power? they don't have to this will blow up.