What happened to Terra (LUNA)? Why did investors lose billions overnight? 😱 Let's unravel the untold story of this epic collapse that shook the crypto world.
1️⃣ The Terra Disaster: A $40 Billion Catastrophe
In May 2022, Terra (LUNA) went from being one of the most hyped projects in crypto to a complete disaster. The market value? Gone. Trust? Shattered. 🌪️
Terra's collapse was one of the biggest setbacks in crypto history. Here's how it all went down... 👇
2️⃣ What Was Terra (LUNA) and UST?
Terra was built around UST, an algorithmic stablecoin designed to stay pegged to the dollar. But unlike traditional stablecoins like USDT, UST wasn’t backed by reserves — it relied on an ecosystem involving LUNA tokens. Sounds too good to be true, right? 🚀 But it wasn’t as stable as they thought…
3️⃣ The "Stable" Model with a Fatal Flaw
Here’s how the system was supposed to work: You could swap 1 UST for $1 worth of LUNA — minting and burning LUNA to keep the price steady.
But when things went wrong, this mechanism spiraled into a disastrous chain reaction. 😣 Instead of stabilizing UST, it made everything worse. 🤯
4️⃣ The Crash Starts: Withdrawals from Anchor
In May 2022, the panic began. 🚨 UST’s $1 peg started to slip after massive withdrawals from Anchor, a DeFi platform offering a 20% yield on UST deposits. Investors rushed to pull out their funds, triggering a sell-off that sent UST's value plummeting. 📉
5️⃣ The Death Spiral Begins
As UST’s value dropped, the algorithm tried to mint more LUNA to restore the peg. But this flooded the market with trillions of LUNA tokens, causing its value to crash from $80 to nearly $0.0001. 😱 Terra’s $40 billion market cap evaporated overnight. 💥
6️⃣ Do Kwon’s Desperate Moves
With UST and LUNA crumbling, all eyes were on Do Kwon, the project’s founder. Known for his bold and often defiant claims, Kwon’s tone shifted to full-on damage control.
The team tried everything to save the situation: minting more LUNA, tapping Bitcoin reserves, but it was too little, too late. 💔
7️⃣ A Fork in the Road: Terra’s “Recovery” Plan
Kwon proposed a fork in the blockchain to launch a new version of LUNA. But the damage was done. Trust was shattered, and investors were in full retreat. Legal battles soon followed, and Kwon was facing serious legal consequences. ⚖️
8️⃣ Do Kwon’s Involvement and the Burning Wallet Controversy
It was revealed that Kwon had more control than he originally let on. Despite his claims, he controlled the burning wallet and had access to key actions that led to the collapse. 🧐
9️⃣ Regulators Step In
Terra’s crash attracted global attention from regulators. 🚨 As the dust settled, governments and authorities began investigating Terra’s activities, with many raising concerns about fraud and market manipulation. 🌍
🔟 The Arrest of Do Kwon
In March 2023, after months on the run, Kwon was finally captured in Montenegro using a forged passport. 🛑 His arrest marked a new chapter in the legal fallout, with authorities from South Korea, the US, and beyond closing in on him. 🔍
1️⃣1️⃣ The Bigger Lesson: Risk in Crypto
The Terra collapse exposed the dangers of algorithmic stablecoins and risky DeFi projects. 🔥 It showed that in crypto, everything can change in an instant. The key takeaway? Do your research, understand the risks, and never invest more than you can afford to lose. 🚨
This was one of the biggest crypto scandals of all time. Stay informed, stay safe, and always keep your eyes open in this volatile world. 🌍💡
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