FTX Prioritizes Repayment Plan
Following a recent court hearing, bankrupt crypto exchange FTX has made it clear that its focus is on repaying customers rather than resuming operations. The attorney representing FTX, Andy Dietderich, announced a major shift in the exchange’s strategy. Instead of trying to revive the platform, FTX will now prioritize reimbursing its customers by selling off its assets.
According to Dietderich, the decision came after unsuccessful negotiations with potential investors. He pointed out that FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried’s lack of technology and structure hindered these efforts. Dietderich described FTX as an “irresponsible sham” created by a convicted felon.
Complex Repayment Process
Dietderich provided some insights into the repayment process being considered by the U.S. bankruptcy court. Customers who lost assets on FTX must provide evidence of their losses, which will be reviewed by restructuring advisers. However, there is disagreement over the date chosen for FTX’s bankruptcy, as many customers believe using November 2022 prices undervalues their losses, especially considering Bitcoin’s current high value.
During the hearing, Kris Hansen, the Creditor Committee lawyer, acknowledged the disparity in claims, noting that some assets declined significantly in value before the bankruptcy filing.
FTX Faces Overwhelming Claims
FTX is dealing with more than 36,000 claims totaling around $16 billion. The exchange has acknowledged its limitations and previously estimated that it would only be able to compensate around 90 percent of its customers. In total, approximately 15 million individuals lost billions of dollars in various cryptocurrencies during FTX’s collapse.
Dietderich emphasized that reaching the repayment objective is not guaranteed but insisted that FTX has a strategy in place to achieve it.
Hot Take: FTX Shifts Focus to Repayment, Abandons Exchange Operations
Bankrupt crypto exchange FTX has decided to prioritize repaying its customers instead of trying to restart its operations. This change in strategy was announced during a recent court hearing by FTX’s attorney, Andy Dietderich. FTX has faced challenges in securing funding for restructuring, largely due to the lack of technology and administrative structure left by founder Sam Bankman-Fried. As a result, FTX will now focus on liquidating its assets to reimburse customers. The repayment process, however, is complex, with disputes arising over the chosen bankruptcy date and the valuation of lost assets. FTX is grappling with a large number of claims totaling billions of dollars, but it aims to compensate as many customers as possible.