Arthur Cheong of DeFiance Capital criticized crypto market manipulation on April 14, 2025, through the X platform. His comments spotlight the collusion between projects and market makers to maintain artificial token prices.

He pointed out the collusion between projects and market makers in artificial pricing, raising concerns about investor losses and unreliable exchanges.

Arthur Cheong Warns of Eroding Market Trust

Arthur Cheong identified pricing manipulation as a major issue, highlighting collusion between crypto projects and market makers. He criticized the process as opaque, akin to operating within a "black box." Centralized exchanges, according to Cheong, appear to ignore these irregularities.

"Many projects and market makers collaborate to sustain artificial token prices over time, making it difficult for investors to discern whether prices reflect real supply-demand dynamics or manipulation," said Arthur Cheong, Founder and Chief Investment Officer, DeFiance Capital.

Investor confidence is wavering as many token generation events (TGEs) fail, resulting in 70-90 percent price reductions post-launch. Cheong urged urgent intervention from major crypto industry players to halt the trend of market distrust and make it investment-friendly.

MANTRA's Price Plummets 90% Amid Suspected Trading Manipulation

Did you know? In the past, manipulation in the crypto market has led to significant losses for investors. For instance, the FTT token saw substantial losses due to suspected manipulation, highlighting a pressing need for greater market oversight.

MANTRA’s current status reflects its tumultuous journey, with a value drop of 90.41 percent in the last seven days and a current price of $0.61. Despite its fully diluted market cap reaching 1,099,426,343 USD, confidence remains shaky, as evidenced by its trading volume dip by 33.93 percent. The 24-hour trading volume stands at 1,341,271,527 USD as per CoinMarketCap (last updated at 01:38 UTC on April 15, 2025).

Experts recommend increased transparency and market regulation to avoid deceptive practices like wash trading. Strengthening oversight by centralized exchanges and encouraging community vigilance against hype-driven investments could stabilize the market.