it takes governments years to figure out what's going on
Agree with the rest but not with this one.
I'm not talking about the government finding a way to regulate trade or put in place legislation.
I'm talking about the IRS (or whatever it is called in those parts) looking at the financial data of some exchanges and the profit they declare and not take action.
You have an exchange claiming to trade 100 billions + a year, and contrary to how people picture the fiscal inspectors those guys know their job, and it's impossible that they don't have a clue about the numbers coinbene&co are claiming to run.
The only way I think they get away with is that they have a real balance that is perfectly in order where the numbers are correct with only the real trades, and what we see happening on our screens are trades that are just for visitors, in their accounting, they aren't showing up anywhere.
No matter what jurisdiction they go they must present an income sheet at the end of the fiscal year, and when this is messed by 10x-20x you're in trouble.
I think this is the reason why Binance chose to go from HK(?) then to Japan and then flee to Malta, the way "big" exchange are not spending more than two years in the same country is an alarm bell.