The OM Token Crash: Exposing Deeper Structural Flaws in Crypto

In just a few hours, the OM Price plummeted by over 90%, triggering widespread panic and drawing uneasy comparisons to the Terra-Luna collapse.

The sudden OM Token Crash on April 13 sent shockwaves through the crypto community. In just a few hours, the OM Price plummeted by over 90%, triggering widespread panic and drawing uneasy comparisons to the Terra-Luna collapse. But this wasn’t just another market dip, Bitget CEO Gracy Chen believes it exposed deeper structural flaws in crypto, especially around weekend liquidity. When fewer traders are active and order books are thin, even small sell-offs can spiral. Add in opaque governance and heavy token concentration, and you’ve got the makings of a major crash.

Liquidity Gaps and Insider Concerns Stir Market Anxiety

On-chain data showed over 43 million tokens, worth about $227 million, flooding exchanges just before the OM Token Crash, with some batches linked to Laser Digital. This sparked serious concerns about insider dumping. However, when reached by email, Mantra CEO John Mullin stated that the project itself had nothing to do with the token crash. He attributed it to forced liquidations on a centralized platform, likely OKX, which in turn led to further selling pressure and ultimately triggered the crash. These events took place during fragile weekend hours when market depth was lacking. It’s a clear warning of how vulnerable the OM Price and overall trust can become when transparency is missing in action.

While Mullin claims the project itself wasn’t selling tokens, the timing of the massive sell-off ahead of the crash does raise eyebrows. According to on-chain data, batches of OM tokens were sold throughout April, with smaller amounts starting in March. The selling activity varied in size, ranging from 3 million to 15 million tokens at a time, sold directly to major cryptocurrency exchanges. Some of the sellers were identified, including Laser Digital selling 14.8 million tokens on April 11 and 12, and a wallet linked to Bittrex selling 3 million tokens on April 9.

The events unfolded rapidly. On April 13, a large sell order for 4.38 million tokens at a price of $0.5 was filled on OKX, impacting the OM Price significantly. As the market reacted, another sell order for 10 million tokens at a price of $0.3 was detected, indicating a cascading effect as the sell-off unfolded. By noon, the OM had crashed to $0.15, a decline of over 75% from the previous day’s closing price.

The rapid crash was attributed to a perfect storm of factors, including leveraged traders being liquidated, leading to a vicious cycle of selling pressure that cascaded through the market. The lack of liquidity during the weekend hours, especially in the lower price ranges, exacerbated the situation, allowing the sell-off to continue unchecked.

Despite Mullin’s assertions that the project itself wasn’t selling tokens and that the events were related to liquidations on OKX, the timing and scale of the sell-off are still raising concerns among investors. As the investigation into the OM Token Crash continues, the events serve as a stark reminder of the complexities and interconnectedness of the crypto market, especially in times of extreme volatility and thin liquidity.

Coinbase Predicts Bear Market May Drag On Until Q3 of 2025 as Bitcoin Shows Signs of Stress

Coinbase has predicted that the bear market may drag on until Q3 of 2025, contrasting with the view that the market downturn is nearing its end.

In its "Coinbase Beacon" report, the crypto exchange stated that Bitcoin (BTC) has shown signs of stress during weekends due to liquidity gaps, especially in lower price ranges. This observation comes amid a broader narrative of market fatigue and limited catalysts for a sustained bull rally.

Coinbase's prediction of the bear market extending until Q3 of 2025 is based on its analysis of historical market cycles and current macroeconomic trends. According to the exchange, bear markets in crypto typically last for 18 to 24 months, starting with a rapid decline in prices and trading volumes. This initial crash is often driven by a single catastrophic event, such as the collapse of a major protocol or a macroeconomic shock.

After the initial crash, bear markets usually transition into a period of ranging market activity, with prices bouncing between support and resistance levels. This ranging period is characterized by lower trading volumes and a lack of clear bullish or bearish momentum. According to Coinbase, this ranging phase can persist for several months as market participants digest the events that led to the bear market and anticipate future trends.

Coinbase's observations of Bitcoin's weekend weakness in lower price ranges highlight the importance of liquidity in crypto markets. During weekends, there are typically fewer traders active and order books are thinner, making it easier for small sell-offs to spiral out of control. This is especially problematic in lower price ranges, where support levels are weaker and traders are more likely to panic-