Ben Armstrong, a crypto Youtuber, is facing legal scrutiny following allegations that he sent threatening messages to the lawyers leading a class action lawsuit against promoters of the [collapsed crypto exchange FTX](/news/article/is-crypto-dead). Armstrong, also known as "[BitBoy Crypto](/news/article/bitboy-crypto)," is among several FTX influencers facing a [$1B class-action lawsuit](https://cointelegraph.com/news/ftx-influencers-face-1-billion-class-action-lawsuit-over-alleged-crypto-fraud-promotion) for alleged [crypto fraud](/news/article/guo-wengui-accused-of-crypto-fraud) promotion.

The suit alleges that the influencers failed to disclose that they were paid to endorse FTX accounts to their substantial online following, which includes the BitBoy Crypto YouTube channel with 1.45 million subscribers.

## BitBoy crypto faces legal scrutiny over alleged threats

According to court documents [filed](https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67017199/5/garrison-v-paffrath/) on 20 March, the lawyers heading the class action suit claim that Armstrong has been harassing one of the plaintiffs since the lawsuit was filed last week. They accuse him of making "endless phone calls, Tweets, and emails" to the plaintiff and posting "insulting and threatening posts" about him on social media.

Furthermore, in the court filing, the lawyers accused Armstrong of making 21 calls within 45 minutes from an unknown number to the lawyers' office and leaving a voicemail containing a warning that "First Amendment protesters" would surround the lawyer's house "24/7 day and night".

In another voicemail, he claimed that the "home addresses" of the "lawyers" were being circulated on Reddit.

The filing alleges that he also sent profanity-laced emails to Adam Moskowitz - one of the attorneys in the FTX class action suit - and a message warning him that he was "choosing war with an anonymous community while you yourself are not".

It also claims that BitBoy posted a YouTube [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp1F5lJUBf4) on 16 March directed at lawyers and individuals who bought the lawsuit against him and warned them that he was "coming at them with full force".

In another alleged message to Moskowitz, Armstrong reportedly warned him that "these people are dangerous" and that they could result in "you and your family shot".

The filing also included an email that Armstrong allegedly sent to Moskowitz in which he referred to him as a "b*tch" and an "unbelievably dumb mother f*cker”.

![Picture 1.png](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/prod-monitalks-media/Picture_1_80ec6a5484.png)
  
## BitBoy Crypto's response to accusations

In a statement to Cointelegraph, BitBoy denied making calls, tweeting, or emailing the FTX class-action lawyers. Furthermore, in his video, he denied promoting [FTX](/news/article/ftx-funds-political-donations-to-be-recovered) and threatened Moskowitz with a countersuit.


red image of bitboy crypto youtuber holding his tweet about threatening lawyers

BitBoy Crypto Accused of Threatening Lawyers 

Benjamin Roth, the Chief Investment Officer of [Auros](https://www.auros.global/), has revealed that the company has effectively resolved its liquidity problems arising from the bankruptcy of the crypto exchange FTX.

Following a significant debt restructuring, Auros was recently released from court-supervised provisional liquidation and obtained a fresh investment of $17 million.

Vivienne Court Trading, a traditional high-frequency trading firm, and Bit Digital (BTBT), a public bitcoin mining company, led this investment. Meanwhile, the [crypto trading](/news/article/how-does-crypto-trading-work) firm had to engage in months of behind-the-scenes efforts to keep its business afloat following the collapse of FTX, which caused significant losses for several trading firms in the crypto industry.

## Auros response to the liquidity crisis caused by FTX bankruptcy

The failure of [Sam Bankman-Fried's](/news/article/sam-bankman-fried-bail-co-signers-revealed) exchange to repay its customers caused concerns about a broader insolvency crisis in the cryptocurrency market.

As a result, lenders began recalling their outstanding loans to minimise possible losses. Auros, whose funds were mainly tied up in FTX, suddenly faced a liquidity crisis and could not repay its creditors. Rather than attempting to repay lenders, it filed for provisional liquidation with the British Virgin Islands (BVI) court to engage with its creditors.

With the BVI's assistance, the firm could restructure its outstanding debts, including converting open-term loans into termed loans with a maturity date. Auros also addressed its $18 million in [DeFi](/news/article/what-is-a-defi-token) loans by repaying 55% of its debt on the blockchain-based credit platform Maple and spreading the remainder across three-month and nine-month loans.

## Auros raises strategic funds to continue its operations

According to Roth, the company had plans to raise capital even before [FTX's collapse](/news/article/ftx-bankrupt-who-to-blame). However, the court's supervision made it more challenging to raise funds. In a statement, Marcel Klooss, co-founder of Vivienne Court, stated that the two companies have complementary skills and distinct characteristics that will create continuous synergies. The crypto firm, expanding its derivatives solutions business to offer yield and protection services to clients, will have [BitDigital](https://bit-digital.com/) as its second-largest investor and strategic partner.

The funding round also includes participation from Trovio, Primal Capital, Epoch Capital, and a group of senior and former traders from proprietary trading and market-making firm Optiver.

Marcel Klooss and Hughes Ching, co-founders of Vivienne Court and Bit Digital, respectively, will become members of the board of directors.


blue image of circuitboard with auros logo overlayed

Auros Resolves Liquidity With $17M Funding 

One of the most popular US banks for cryptocurrency transactions, Silvergate Capital, is in danger of collapse. The firm is examining its position to decide whether it can continue its operations.

On 1 March, the bank reported to the US financial watchdog, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), that it would not file its annual activities report on the deadline. It also reported to the SEC that it is deliberating its options to survive the crisis.

## Silvergate facing bankruptcy due to FTX contagion

Silvergate Capital is a bank that deals in crypto lending. It has become the first conventional finance house affected by the FTX contagion. Reportedly, it lent almost all its funds to the exchanges. Due to this, when the [FTX crypto exchange crashed](/news/article/curve-finance-leverage-ftx-crash), the California-based finance company suffered severe losses. 

Meanwhile, the [collapse of Sam Bankman-Fried's](/news/article/sam-bankman-fried) firm has affected several crypto-lending firms since November 2022. Some of the most prominent names are [BlockFi](/news/article/blockfi-bankrupt-court-documents), [Genesis](/news/article/genesis-bankruptcy-crypto-meltdown-continues) Global, and [Gemini Exchange](/news/article/gemini-crypto-exchange-falls-prey). 

In addition, many prominent lending partners are pulling out after the news of the bank's potential bankruptcy. The firms that have withdrawn include big names like [Coinbase Global](https://www.coinbase.com/price/global-cryptocurrency), [Galaxy Digital Holdings](https://www.galaxy.com/), [Crypto.com](https://crypto.com/), and [Paxos Trust](https://paxos.com/). The company will also have to deal with this loss of business.

## Silvergate shares plunged 

After the bank reported to the SEC about its financial situation, its share value plummeted. On Thursday, the firm's share value dropped by more than 55%. The overall stock price in the year has decreased by 67%.

Furthermore, [Silvergate has experienced losses](/news/article/silvergate-bank-loses-assets) of more than $1 billion in the past three months. Although many other firms also saw significant losses, Silvergate’s collapse could leave a lasting effect on the market. The main reason is that the firm is a traditional bank, which could likely shake investors' trust in the crypto market.


Silvergate Capital on Verge of Collapse

[Becca Balint](https://vtdigger.org/2023/02/28/becca-balints-1-million-crypto-benefactor-pleads-guilty-to-campaign-finance-fraud/), a member of the US House of Representatives from the state of Vermont, has been thrown into the spotlight again after Nishad Singh, an ex-executive of insolvent cryptocurrency exchange FTX who contributed $1 million in advertising money to her congressional push, pleaded guilty to campaign finance fraud on 28 February.

Singh said he is sorry for his role in the bankrupt crypto firm. He reiterated that he only knew by mid-2022 that Alameda Research, the hedge fund run by founder [Sam Bankman-Fried](/news/article/sam-bankman-fried-bail-co-signers-revealed) (SBF), was borrowing customer funds at [FTX](/news/article/ftx-funds-political-donations-to-be-recovered) without informing depositors.

The association of the politician with FTX has added more fuel to the fire as allies of SBF, which included Singh, contributed a minimum of $26,000 directly to support her campaign. Aside from that, the Democratic Party in Vermont was also a beneficiary of FTX contributions. 

SBF's inner circle continues to crumble. Singh is the third member of the once-thriving crypto firm to collaborate with US prosecutors with the hope of working out a deal. 
  
The latest link to Bankman-Fried's ally comes a few days after a superseding [indictment](https://vtdigger.org/2023/02/23/becca-balint-cooperating-with-federal-prosecutors-as-new-allegations-against-sam-bankman-fried-emerge/) filed on 23 February laid out an alleged scheme by the founder and former CEO to illegally move investor money to political campaigns to help improve his standing with representatives in Washington, DC.

Prosecutors believe his consistent donations were a way of pushing decision-makers to consider his preferred regulatory agenda for the entire decentralized finance economy.  

## Becca Balint is cooperating with authorities 

According to her campaign manager, Natalie Silver, Vermont's leader in the House of Representatives is fully cooperating with federal authorities in the investigation into SBF's scheme to pour a minimum of $1 million into a super PAC (political action committee) to support a candidate who favoured LGBTQ issues.   

After serving as a member of the Vermont Senate, Balint made history by becoming the first person from the LGBTQ+ community to be elected to Congress.


red image of becca balint and sam bankman-fried in front of sign saying guilty

Becca Balint Contributor Admits Fraud 

The details of Sam Bankman-Frieds bail have been revealed before the court. Surprisingly, the former CEO of the fallen crypto exchange, FTX, had been bailed out by two high profiles in academia. The co-signers happen to be Larry Kramer and Andreas Paepcke.

Interestingly, both guarantors have an association with the Stanford Law School. Kramer served as the Dean of the law school, whereas Paepcke served as a research scientist. 

Curiously, Sam’s parents also work for the same school. 

## Stanford academics contributed $700,000 for SBF bail

The surety documents of SBF also revealed that the notorious crypto figure was bailed out at $700,000. Kramer contributed around $500,000, and Paepcke put up more than $200,000 for the bail. It helped in the release of SBF, and he is currently residing with his parents in California.

However, the trial for fraud in the [FTX exchange case](/news/article/ftx-exchange-under-investigation) is not over yet, and the case proceedings are still ongoing in the federal court of New York.

The founder of the fallen exchange was [released on a $250 million bond](https://www.ft.com/content/6993c3fa-6147-4cd3-9214-886d4da20d2f). According to the government prosecutors, it was the largest ever amount. Initially, the bond was covered through SBF’s parent’s home, Palo Alto. 

## Judge Kaplan ordered to reveal of bail documents 

Lewis Kaplan, the federal court judge, ordered to reveal the details of the surety documents. It included the revelation of the co-signers' names and the amount they contributed. The judge took action after the request from the Inner City Press back on 3 January.

Previously, the identities of the bail guarantors were concealed at the request of SBF’s lawyer. But now, the unsealing of documents has exposed the names of the co-signers. Larry Kramer and Andreas Paepcke are the figures from Stanford who put up significant amounts. 

SBF’s parents, Joseph Bankman and Barbara Fried, also work for Stanford Law School. It implies that their affiliation with other employees in the school has helped secure Sam Bankman-Fried’s bail, previously [denied by the Bahamas judge](/news/article/ftx-boss-denied-bail-in-bahamas) in December 2022.


image of sam bankman-fried, Andreas Paepcke and larry kramer stanford in front of image of millions of dollars falling

Sam Bankman-Fried’s Bail Co-signers Revealed 

Fiat-to-crypto on-ramp service provider Juno bank has resumed offering the core services it paused in early January following “uncertainty” with its cryptocurrency custodian partner Wyre. The crypto firm has acquired the services of a new crypto custodian, Zero hash.

Juno halted its crypto services in early January as a form of “preemptive action” in the interest of their customers as its former custodian Wyre became another victim of the meltdown caused by the [FTX saga](/news/article/ftx-bankrupt-who-to-blame). According to a [statement](https://juno.finance/blog/Introducing-our-new-crypto-partner) by Juno CEO and co-founder Varun Deshpande, the firm promises its clients a more secure experience on the new platform following the 2022 debacle and is committed to building compliance on its on-ramp product. 

## Juno bank has reinstated most of its former services

Taking to [Twitter](https://twitter.com/JunoFinanceHQ/status/1610639365595860992), Juno advised its customers to choose between selling their crypto assets for cash or self-custody as the firm worked to migrate to a new custodian. The decision was necessitated by Wyre's preparation to wind down operations in the aftermath of the FTX debacle. This happened after [news emerged](https://www.axios.com/2023/01/03/wyre-shutdown-crypto-winter) that Wyre was shutting down and laying off employees. Juno bank said they would switch custodians in preparation for potential challenges with Wyre.  

While Juno has reinstated most of its former services, it has yet to reinstate L2 withdrawal and deposits, as well as crypto paycheck services. On the brighter side, though, the crypto firm has introduced additional features such as the support of more than 35 additional cryptocurrencies, including SOL, ADA, SHIB, and DOGE. Also, users can now enjoy a zero-trading-fee incentive and a rewards program per dollar traded when they trade in non-stablecoins.

## The industry will weather the storm

As the crypto sphere struggles to remain afloat amidst a historic shock caused by a severe crypto winter and exacerbated by the [FTX bankruptcy](/news/article/ftx-funds-political-donations-to-be-recovered), there are essential lessons for the industry to learn. Overall, the digital asset industry has undergone a transformational shift beginning in the latter half of 2022, spurring a serious industry cleanup in the wake of numerous high-profile bankruptcies.

In the meantime, the conversation surrounding the regulation of cryptocurrencies around the globe continues as actors demand stringent laws akin to traditional banks and financial institutions.

This latest development by Juno bank is a clear signal that even after being dealt a severe blow by the ongoing FTX contagion, the crypto industry will weather the storm, and things will eventually improve. That’s because the way up usually begins at the point where governance-free conduct leads a sector.


blue image of bank cards and juno bank logo

Crypto Firm Juno Bank Bounces Back

The new management of FTX is taking steps to [recover political donations](https://decrypt.co/120637/ftx-demands-return-political-donations) made by its former executives, including Sam Bankman-Fried, as part of the ongoing bankruptcy proceedings and plans to recover funds to repay the crypto exchange's creditors. 

## FTX funds donations to political parties

Bankman-Fried had been open about his political donations even before the exchange [collapsed](/news/article/is-crypto-dead). He was the second-largest CEO contributor to Joe Biden's 2020 campaign with a donation of $5.2 million. He also admitted to being a significant donor to Democratic and Republican candidates during the November midterm elections. 

The FTX funds donations to political parties are under [investigation](/news/article/ftx-exchange-under-investigation) by US prosecutors, with court documents filed in January indicating a review of donations totalling $93 million between March 2020 and November 2022.

## FTX plans to take back its political donations

FTX is taking action to retrieve millions of dollars from political contributions. John John Jay Ray III, the newly appointed company's CEO, has issued a formal demand for the return of "contributions or other payments" by 28 February.

The new management has outlined a pathway for politicians and political groups to voluntarily return the funds, with unreturned donations then required to be repaid with interest. 

Additionally, the company emphasized that it will still seek to recover funds donated to third parties like charities. The company clarified that recipients of such contributions are not exempt from its demand for return.

According to recent data from Unusual Whales, 196 members of Congress received campaign contributions from FTX's former executives, including [Ryan Salame](/news/article/ryan-salame-exposed-ftx-truth), Sam Bankman-Fried, Nishad Singh, and others.

In addition to recovering political donations, FTX's new team is also taking steps to repay its creditors, including plans to sell $4.6 billion in non-strategic investments, such as subsidiaries LedgerX, FTX Japan, Embed, and FTX Europe. 

A task force has also been formed by the Southern District of New York US Attorney's Office to investigate the exchange's collapse, including recovering missing customer funds and handling prosecutions relating to the FTX crash.


red image of ftx logo and dollars falling

FTX Funds: Political Donations to be Recovered

Hyperverse, amongst other crypto projects, has raised curiosity and concerns in equal measure. And with every passing day, there are more raised eyebrows and questions regarding its legitimacy.

In part, it's a result of the plummeting cryptocurrency value this year. The [FTX debacle](/news/article/ftx-bankrupt-who-to-blame) hasn't helped, either.

The scandal of FTX and its demise has revived conversations around the validity of crypto projects. Exposed to the recent searchlight is the [Hyperverse](https://thehyperverse.net/index.html), and we're about to take a sneak peek.

## So, what is the Hyperverse crypto project?

![hyperverse1.png](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/prod-monitalks-media/hyperverse1_4bd03f9813.png)
  
Picture of The Hyperverse

Visit the Hyperverse.net website and you're greeted with the following words against a backdrop of star systems and futuristic cityscapes.

### Where Reality Ends and Imagination Begins

According to the team, Hyperverse is a virtual metaverse with player voyagers residing on millions of planets and interacting with one another in the commerce of tokenized items.

So the story goes that this is 2078AD, and we've mastered interstellar travel. Kicking off the age of interstellar migration, the first human voyagers on the Proxima Centauri star system created the Hyperverse.

There's even a cool video of a space vehicle, Apollo, docking into what I can only describe as a space city enclosed in a glass bubble just off the rocky rings of a mars-like planet. The video ends with a panoramic view of the glass bubble attached to a spaceship.

And then, the word HYPERVERSE comes into focus.

## So why should we have the Hyperverse?

Catchy lore, cool videos, and a buzzing community are nice and typical in the crypto space, but so is the tendency to be more community than a commodity.

## Features

![hyperverse2.png](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/prod-monitalks-media/hyperverse2_08e6f06d0e.png)
 
Picture of The Hyperverse

The [Hyperverse](https://thehyperverse.net) claims to bring users value through a combination of features from themes in gaming, Metaverse, crypto economy, [DeFi](/news/tag/defi), and governance.

![Screenshot 2023-01-30 at 09.20.02.png](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/prod-monitalks-media/Screenshot_2023_01_30_at_09_20_02_3a4a35a64a.png)

![hyperverse3.png](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/prod-monitalks-media/hyperverse3_5c61fdf2d2.png)

Picture of The Hyperverse

## Concerns

The one question that many Hyperverse crypto project critics feel the team doesn't answer clearly is how the Hyperverse claims to make money. The team promises returns of 0.5% per day for 600 days, where investors can look to make as much as 300% returns on their initial investments. They say that these returns are gotten from their savvy investments in crypto currencies and other Web3 projects.

But the thing is that no one can guarantee such returns for that long. Also, the assets they claim to make money from have dropped in value, with many at around 3% to 10% of their original value. As we speak, Bitcoin trades for $16,000, 80% down from its all-time high in October last year.

There are other complaints as well. Investors lament the difficulty, and sometimes inability, to sell their HU cryptocurrencies. All the while, the Hyperverse crypto project keeps changing its name, from Hyperfunds to Hyperverse and then to Hypernation. What is steady across these changes is the increasing skepticism around the hype. 

It seems to be a Ponzi scheme dressed in the latest garb of the times - web 3.0. However, remember to do your own research.


pink image of hyperverse logo on image of futuristic city

A quick look at the Hyperverse crypto project

The lawyers for the bankrupt crypto exchange FTX filed a creditor matrix in the [Bankruptcy Court](https://www.deb.uscourts.gov/) of the US in Delaware District on 25 January. It is a detailed document that reveals all FTX creditors, including giants like Netflix, Amazon, Apple, and Coinbase.

The court document suggests that the fall of the [FTX crypto exchange](https://ftx.com/) has affected firms from various domains. Besides crypto firms, the collapse has troubled several banks, hotels, airlines, media agencies, charity organisations, and others. In addition, a few government entities are among its creditors.

## Big names from the list of FTX creditors

The creditor matrix is a 115-page document that provides names and mailing addresses of creditors in alphabetical order.

It illustrates the extent of damage caused by the fall of FTX.

As per the document, the bankruptcy of crypto exchanges left a deep impact on the tech industry. The SBF firm is indebted to the tech giants like Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Twitter, Google, Netflix, LinkedIn, and many others. 

In addition, media outlets, including big players like the New York Times, figure among its creditors.

In the Web3 sphere, the firm owes to companies like Coinbase, Yuga Labs, Galaxy Digital, Bittrex, Circle, Binance, and Chainalysis.

## FTX bankruptcy case

Not long ago, the FTX exchange was one of the largest in the industry. However, in November 2022, the firm experienced a liquidity crunch as its FTT token crashed.

This prompted the firm to file for insolvency, and its founder [SBF was arrested](/news/article/former-ftx-ceo-sbf-arrested) for financial laws violation. 

Earlier, the firm's lawyers mentioned that it owes money to more than a million creditors. The rough estimates suggest that the firm owes more than $100 million to each of its top ten creditors. However, the recent creditor matrix did not provide the estimated amounts of each creditor.


red image of blockchain with FTX, coinbase, apple and netflix logos shown

FTX Creditors Include Google, Apple, Netflix

Genesis Global Capital Inc. has joined the ranks of the FTX contagion victims. The crypto lender has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the Manhattan federal court.

It has been struggling since the collapse of FTX in November 2022.

Genesis bankruptcy is a major setback for its parent company, [Digital Currency Group](https://dcg.co/) (DCG). Barry Silbert’s DCG relied on the business of this crypto lender, and now it is likely to face a liquidity crisis. 

According to the insolvency filing, the firm has more than 100,000 creditors. In addition, it has accumulated liabilities of $1 billion-$11 billion. It also includes the liabilities of the clients of the Gemini Earn program.

## Genesis bankruptcy - Official statement

The firm announced the bankruptcy through a [press release](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230119005955/en/) on 19 January. It mentioned that the Chapter 11 filing would only be effective on its crypto lending business. However, its spot trading, derivatives, and brokerage businesses will carry on their operations.

In the official statement, the company announced that it has started "a court-supervised restructuring plan", which will allow it to find "a holistic solution".

The bankrupt lending business claims more than $150 million in liquidity. It plans to use this fund to back up its business operations and to use it for restructuring plans.

## Crypto crisis after the FTX collapse

Since the collapse of the [Sam Bankman-Fried](/news/article/former-ftx-ceo-sbf-arrested) exchange, the industry has been going through a meltdown. FTX contagion spread to several firms, including [BlockFi](/news/article/ftx-collapse-blockfi-suspend-withdrawals), 3AC, [Gemini](/news/article/gemini-crypto-exchange-falls-prey), Salt, and others.
 
Earlier, Genesis paused withdrawals from its customers' accounts. It affected the operations of the lending program of [Gemini and Genesis](/news/article/genesis-gemini-sec-takes-action). These firms are now facing a lawsuit from the Securities and Exchange Commission. Following this situation, it also [laid off 30% of its workforce](https://www.coindesk.com/business/2023/01/05/crypto-lender-genesis-lays-off-30-more-of-its-staff/). 

And now, it has filed for protection from bankruptcy. This could also affect DCG's businesses, as it may cause a further liquidity crisis.


red image of bankrupt newspaper and genesis logo

Genesis Bankruptcy: Crypto Meltdown Continues 

The Ether price in British pounds plummeted in November, with Trading View charts showing the ETH price at less than £1,100 on 11 November and failing to rise to the level again.

Ethereum tops the list of altcoins among traders and investors. It is the most well-known altcoin and, to many investors and enthusiasts, much more than just another cryptocurrency.

Currently, the ETH price is £1,575.97, slightly higher than the opening price of this week, £1,552.52. During an entire week, Ether's price moved between a maximum of £1,063.22 on 5 December to a lowest of £1,000.01 on 7 December.

![ether.png](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/prod-monitalks-media/ether_d1e3f1abb5.png)
  
Source: Tradingview.com

The Ether price pounds value rallied 19.74% from £907 on 22 November to £1,086 on 30 November before falling -7.20%. The resistance level at £1,086 has been keeping up for a month, which is the likely cause of the correction to £1,000.01 on 7 December. On the other hand, traders are happy that the ETH is now trading 15% above its low on 22 November.

The market is already in winter, and the fall of FTX worsened the mood of traders. However, two other events pushed the waves higher and broke traders' confidence. A [tweet by Elon musk asking SBF where did the money go](/news/article/elon-musk-tweets-where-did-money-go) acted as a stone to break the beaker.

Plus, three US Senators wrote to [Silvergate Bank asking for information regarding the bank's involvement with FTX](https://cointelegraph.com/news/us-lawmakers-request-answers-from-silvergate-over-ties-to-ftx-report). Lawmakers are trying to find out legislative or regulatory solutions to prevent a similar occurrence in the future. 

Following "reports suggesting that Silvergate enabled the transfer of FTX client cash to Alameda", the lawmakers asked inquiries. They gave the bank until 19 December to respond.

NBC News, on 5 December, reported that Silvergate is claiming not to be involved in FTX and Alameda Research's apparent misuse of customer funds. However, according to 6 December news, the three Senators, Elizabeth Warren, John Kennedy, and Roger Marshall, sent a letter to Silvergate CEO Alan Lane. It asked the bank to provide details on its connection with FTX regarding the allegations and queries around its name.

It is still unclear what the long-term consequences of FTX's collapse will be, as the latest wave of bankruptcy cases poses a risk of extending the present cryptocurrency bear market. Keeping these things in mind, investors are forced to think that the crypto meltdown will likely go deeper because of such frequent negative events happening in the market.

The FTX collapse has had an influence on the course of the regulatory regime in the United Kingdom. The planned revisions would make it possible for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to keep an eye on the regional operations of the crypto businesses.

In this bearish scenario, investors fear Ether could lose the £1,000 support. It's important to note that making a firm call for the Ether price pounds value is challenging. Some predict that Ether could be in for a crash this year, with its value dropping as low as £750. Crypto market analysts expect ETH to drop as much as 80% from its all-time high of £3,560, leading it to around the said support level.

## Final words

A positive aspect of the network, when considering the Ether price pounds value, is that Ethereum has more than a 90% share of the NFT market.

It is hoped that the first smart contract blockchain will survive this period of instability.


green image of British flag and GBP with ETH logo in centre

Ether Price in Pounds: Unable to Reach £1,100

On 17 January, cryptocurrency exchange [FTX](/news/article/curve-finance-leverage-ftx-crash) revealed in a report to creditors that a significant amount of funds, estimated at $415 million, were stolen in a series of hacks. 

The company stated that despite efforts to recover lost assets, significant shortfalls remain at the FTX US and international exchanges.

FTX told the bankruptcy judge in Delaware last week that it has managed to [recover more than $5B](/news/article/ftx-news-assets-recovered) in various assets, including crypto, cash, and liquid securities. However, the exchange attributes a portion of the remaining shortfall to the hacks, reporting that $323M in crypto was stolen from the international exchange and $90M from the US exchange since filing for bankruptcy on 11 November.

The company's founder Sam Bankman-Fried has since challenged aspects of the report in a [blog post](https://sambf.substack.com/p/ftx-us-balance-update-2023-01-17) that provides information on the assets that FTX US holds. He has been [accused](/news/article/ryan-salame-exposed-ftx-truth) of using customer funds to cover the debts incurred of his crypto-focused hedge fund, Alameda Research.

Bankman-Fried contested FTX's recent financial report. He claimed that an "extremely misleading" impression of the company's finances had been presented by FTX lawyers at Sullivan & Cromwell. An S&C spokesperson declined to comment on the statement. According to SBF's "best guess," the company still has enough funds to repay US customers, whom he estimates are owed between $181M and $497M.

Attorneys at the firm stated in a recent court filing that they had rejected efforts by SBF to remain involved in the company's bankruptcy proceedings. Also, he has been denied access to the company’s records since stepping down as CEO in November.

## FTX's recovery report

The company neither provided an estimate of the amount owed to FTX US or international customers nor responded to SBF's blog post.

In a recent FTX update on its recovery efforts following the $415M hack, the company reported that it had recovered $1.7B in cash, $3.5B in liquid cryptocurrency, and $300M in liquid securities.

The crypto assets recovered to date include $685 million in Solana, $529 million in FTX's proprietary FTT token, and $268 million in Bitcoin, based on the crypto prices on 11 November, 2022.


Red image of hacker hacking. Dollars falling from sky and Sam Bankman-Fried smiling in foreground

FTX US Reports $415 million Hacked

The global crypto crisis in recent months has sent shockwaves throughout various industries - especially the financial sector. 

More often than not, the infrastructure of crypto technology itself was blamed. However, Japanese crypto and finance experts have suggested otherwise, putting pressure on global financial regulators to monitor the industry properly.

One of the [major statements](https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/japan-pushes-global-counterparts-to-regulate-crypto-like-banks-1.1870854) came from the deputy director-general at the Financial Services Agency's Strategy Development and Management Bureau, Mamoru Yanase. He believes that crypto should be regulated just like any other financial institution on a global level.

"What's brought about the latest scandal isn't crypto technology itself," said Yanase, with regard to FTX's failure in the US and Japanese crypto markets. "It is loose governance, lax internal controls, and the absence of regulation and supervision."

Financial experts from the US are mainly of the opposing opinion, as they consider crypto an inadequate technology - one that's not sustainable for the long term. However, the Japanese crypto viewpoint considers the industry to be of immense significance - only lacking the vigilant and proactive regulation that such a large industry requires.

This entire discussion is based on the [FTX case](/news/article/ftx-bankrupt-who-to-blame) that's been going on since November. The fallout from FTX sent the entire crypto industry into an unforeseen frenzy. And, looking back at it now, it was probably the lack of supervision and control that led to the whole mess in the first place.

## Sale of FTX’s Japanese crypto branch imminent

Mamoru Yanase also touched upon the sale of FTX Japan, as the crypto company went bankrupt last year. He mentioned how the Financial Services Agency has helped to "segregate client's assets" from FTX Japan's account to ensure their safety. 

Furthermore, he added that clients would be able to withdraw their assets from their FTX Japanese crypto accounts as early as February.

As per a report from [Cointelegraph](https://cointelegraph.com/news/japanese-regulators-want-crypto-treated-like-traditional-banks) based on a recent court filing in the US, there were 41 parties interested in buying out FTX Japan.

It only makes sense to put in place controls and regulations for crypto transactions, like those for the banking sector globally.

This must be done to avoid future issues like money laundering and stealing of assets. Otherwise, a proper revival of the crypto industry seems far off from happening any time soon - at least in the eyes of Yanase.


japan backgound in yellow with Mamoru Yanase

Japanese Crypto Regulation Call Made

US financial watchdog the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) has filed charges against crypto lending firms Gemini and Genesis.

On 12 January, SEC sued the firms over their crypto lending product, Earn, for allegedly breaching investor protection laws.

## The Gemini SEC lawsuit

The [Gemini](https://www.gemini.com/) SEC civil lawsuit has been filed in the Federal Court of Manhattan. As per the SEC, both companies did not register their product before offering them to individual investors. The regulator claims that the Earn program has been used to sell unregistered securities. 

The crypto lending program allowed the exchange’s customers to lend their assets to [Genesis](https://genesistrading.com/) to earn up to 8% interest. The crypto exchange also profited by charging a fee of around 4.29% through this program.

Both these partner firms are under scrutiny after Genesis paused withdrawals unexpectedly in November. Interestingly, it happened right after the FTX exchange crashed. As per the SEC, at that time, the cryptocurrency lending program had more than [$900 million worth of crypto assets](/news/article/genesis-brokers-owes-gemini) of their customers. With this lawsuit, the commission is looking to recover illegal profits and fines for the offence. 

## Tyler Winklevoss's statement on Gemini SEC charges

Soon after the Gemini SEC lawsuit was filed, Gemini’s co-founder, [Tyler Winklevoss](/news/article/tyler-winklevoss-twitter), issued a statement via [Twitter](https://twitter.com/tyler/status/1613674691507679233). He said, "We look forward to defending ourselves against this manufactured parking ticket...".

He also showed his resolve to continue work to recover customers' assets.

On the other hand, Genesis Global Capital is yet to comment on the issue. 

Since the pause of withdrawals, the lending partner has been seeking ways to recover. However, the Wall Street Journal recently reported that the firm might have to file for [Chapter 11 bankruptcy](https://www.uscourts.gov/services-forms/bankruptcy/bankruptcy-basics/chapter-11-bankruptcy-basics). The firm has already laid off more than 30% of its workforce in the last week.

Gemini and Genesis have ties with the [fallen exchange](/news/article/gemini-crypto-exchange-falls-prey), FTX, and have been in losses since its decline.



gemini and Genesis logos over red image of US SEC building

Genesis and Gemini: SEC Takes Action

The [latest FTX news](/news/tag/ftx) could be positive for customers, investors, and lenders – $5B of assets, such as liquid cryptocurrency, liquid investment securities, and cash, have been recovered, according to Andy Dietderich, an FTX attorney.

Dietderich revealed this information to Judge John Dorsey in a Delaware bankruptcy court. The recovered assets do not include those confiscated by the Securities Commission of the Bahamas – where the crypto exchange is headquartered and former FTX boss Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) was located at the time of his arrest.

## FTX news: who has been named in court filings?

Celebrities such as American football legend Tom Brady, Brazilian fashion model Giselle Bündchen (Brady's former wife), and CEO of the Kraft Group, Robert Kraft, were among those named in the hearings.

Most of FTX's investors and customers facing unfortunate losses have not been mentioned in court filings. At the time of writing, an estimated $8B of customer funds is missing (factoring in the latest recovered funds).

## FTX news: a timeline of events

Here is a timeline of events involving the cryptocurrency exchange and SBF:

•	On 11 November, 2022, FTX, valued at $32B just a year ago, [filed for bankruptcy](/news/article/ftx-bankrupt-who-to-blame).

•	On 12 December, 2022, [SBF was arrested](/news/article/former-ftx-ceo-sbf-arrested) in the Bahamas and extradited to the US.

•	On 13 December, 2022, US federal prosecutors announced eight criminal charges against SBF, including campaign finance violations, money laundering, and wire fraud. This includes allegations of using customer funds to settle debts at his crypto trading firm, Alameda Research, and indulging in other investments.

•	Co-founder of FTX Gary Wang and former head of Alameda Research Caroline Ellison (SBF's rumoured ex-girlfriend) have also been charged [over their purported role](/news/article/sam-bankman-fried-crypto-execs-admit-fraud) in FTX’s calamitous downfall.

•	On 22 December, 2022, SBF was released on a $250M bail bond – one of the largest in US history.

•	SBF, who was [once worth $26B](https://news.yahoo.com/sbf-once-worth-26-billion-092740219.html), pleaded ‘not guilty’ to each criminal charge against him.

In an interview with BBC news before his arrest, Sam Bankman-Fried claimed he had "unknowingly" committed fraud. He did not want the events that unfolded to happen and admitted to being "not nearly as competent" as he thought.


ftx logo on red background with billions of dollars falling from the sky

FTX News: $5B of Assets Recovered

Silvergate bank declared on Thursday that it would fire at least 200 employees besides halting plans to develop a blockchain payments network. The drastic action is a consequence of its association with the recent [FTX fiasco](/news/article/ftx-bankrupt-who-to-blame). 

A Wall Street Journal (WSJ) [report](https://www.wsj.com/articles/silvergate-raced-to-cover-8-1-billion-in-withdrawals-during-crypto-meltdown-11672895207) stated that the crypto-focused Silvergate Capital Corp experienced a surge in withdrawals following the collapse of FTX. Consequently, the bank was forced to liquidate $5.2 billion in digital assets it held on its balance sheet leading to losses amounting to $718, which exceeded its cumulative profit since 2013.

## Silvergate Bank sells assets at steep loss

A corresponding 68% decline in deposits during Q4 2022 saw Silvergate's $11.9 billion deposits slashed to a paltry $3.8 billion on 31 December. The bank has been forced to downsize its workforce and sell off its assets at a steep loss to try and rein in costs amidst the ongoing industry downturn. 

The downfall of Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX, once the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency trading platform, and his subsequent arrest in the Bahamas and [extradition to the USU](/news/article/sbf-agrees-to-return-to-us-for-fraud-charges) has rattled parts of the banking industry.

The events rippling across the budding sector have eroded some people's confidence in crypto platforms. Silvergate bank is among the institutions bearing the brunt. Crypto brokerage Genesis also seems to have 'caught a similar cold’ as it [announced](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-05/crypto-brokerage-genesis-eliminates-30-of-staff-in-latest-cuts?srnd=premium) on Thursday of plans to let go more than 60 employees representing at least 30% of its workforce.

## Bullish on crypto

The setbacks suffered by Silvergate haven't gone unnoticed by US regulators, with three Senators asking for more information in a letter addressed to the bank last December asking about the extent of customer losses as FTX went under.

The [letter](https://www.warren.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Letter to Regulators re Banking System Exposure to Crypto.pdf) hints that there may have been a lapse in Silvergate’s capacity to monitor and report suspicious activity. The bank played a significant role in assisting FTX in transferring customer funds to Alameda. 

Despite the preceding, Silvergate has remained bullish on digital assets and claims to have sufficient funding to manage a "sustained period of transformation".

The bank [stated](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230104005963/en/Silvergate-Announces-Select-Preliminary-Fourth-Quarter-2022-Financial-Metrics-and-Provides-Business-Update): “While Silvergate is taking decisive action to navigate the current environment, its mission has not changed. Silvergate believes in the digital asset industry.”

Silvergate bank said it remained committed to crypto and its recent moves were necessary to survive a tumultuous phase in the crypto economy.


red image of silvergate bank building with dollars falling

Silvergate Bank Loses $718m in Asset Sell-Off

United States financial regulators have issued their first-ever combined warning to banks regarding cryptocurrency risks and the potential dangers of crypto markets and digital assets.

The regulators warned the financial institutions to guard against fraud, legal uncertainty, and deceptive disclosures by digital asset companies. [A notice was also sent to banks over the "contagion risk" posed by the sector](https://www.bbc.com/news/business-64159452).

It comes less than two months after the trading platform FTX went offline, which sent shockwaves across the cryptocurrency market. The joint statement from the Federal Reserve and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, alongside the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, stated that they were closely watching the activity of banking organizations regarding cryptocurrencies.

According to the statement, "The events of the previous year have been characterized by high volatility and the exposing of weaknesses in the crypto-asset industry."

The authorities also stated that it was "very likely inconsistent with safe and sound banking procedures" to issue or hold tokens stored on public, decentralized networks.

## US regulators issue warning to banks on cryptocurrency risks

In addition, banks were encouraged to take action to prevent issues in the digital asset market from spreading to the broader financial system.

"Risks associated with the crypto-asset sector that cannot be mitigated or managed mustn't move to the financial system," it continued.

"The banking system is not a suitable environment for these risks."

The statement released on Tuesday follows several months of reluctance by watchdogs of the US financial industry to publish universal recommendations on cryptocurrencies, even though institutions have requested clearer advice from authorities.

[The failure of the FTX exchange](/news/article/is-crypto-dead) in November sent shockwaves through the sector. It was the second-largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world, serving as the gateway for millions of consumers to enter the market for digital assets.


sign pointing to safe or risky over red image of american flag and cryptocurrency coins

Cryptocurrency Risks Warning Issued to US Banks

[Crypto.com](https://crypto.com/) was one of the sponsors of the 2022 [FIFA World Cup](/news/article/world-cup-vr-viewing) in Qatar. The initiative was taken to promote its Cronos crypto (CRO). It was expected that the publicity campaign at the biggest sports tournament would boost the coin's value.

However, the tournament offererd little exposure to CRO. It failed to trigger any significant price action for the coin. While many cryptocurrencies were consolidating their positions before a potential rally during Christmas, CRO is still bearish. Currently, the trading price of Cronos is only $0.064.

## CRO’s market value dropped by 50% in November

Instead of getting a boost, the Cronos crypto price fell by more than 50% in November. The FIFA World Cup did not benefit Crypto.com in providing global exposure. It is partly because of the politicisation of this sports event. The ban on wearing LGBTQ+ armbands and the prohibition of alcohol at tournament venues created controversy. 

Currently, the media is mainly generating negative headlines for FIFA and the Qatari Government. It has taken the limelight from the sponsors and has somewhat affected their reputation. 

## The effect of FTX contagion

The [collapse of the FTX exchange](/news/article/ftx-collapse-blockfi-suspend-withdrawals) also played its part in the price decline. It has become an unstoppable contagion that has affected numerous DeFi projects. The entire cryptocurrency market experienced the impact of its collapse in November.

CRO suffered from the FTX crash as it is an exchange token like FTT. The FTT token was the native token of the FTX exchange. Likewise, CRO powers the Crypto.com exchange. Cronos felt burnt as investors lost trust in tokens dependent on exchanges' performance.

Unfortunately, CRO remains one of the coins that failed to recover. It was trading at around $0.12 at the start of the month. But after the first week, it saw a sharp decline that persists. At the end of the month, it had shed more than 50% of its market value. It is now trading at around $0.064, according to [CoinMarketCap](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/cronos/).

## Cronos crypto price prediction

Currently, Cronos’ crypto price is less than its 200-day and 50-day simple moving averages (SMA). It is showing a continuous bearish trend while indicating high selling pressure. Moreover, the trends are neutral to bearish for the coming weeks. 

Now, let’s see the long-term price predictions for Crypto.com coin. The forecast from [PricePrediction.net](https://priceprediction.net/en/price-prediction/cronos) shows that next year, CRO’s price will average $0.098. Besides, it may top the price charts with $0.11. Moreover, in 2025 it is likely to maintain the average market value of $0.22. According to these insights, it is expected to reach the $1 mark in 2030 and will average $1.44 in the year. 

In comparison, [Coin Codex](https://coincodex.com/crypto/cronos/price-prediction/) predictions are slightly bullish. It predicts that in 2023, CRO’s value may reach $ 0.193269 to $ 0.332090. Moreover, it suggests that the token may hit $1 in 2025. Potentially, its price may reach $ 1.634169 in the new year. 

## Is Cronos crypto a good investment?

The [Crypto.com coin](/news/article/crypto-com-card) blockchain introduces an open-source protocol. It allows the mass adoption of digital assets and promotes the benefits of ownership. The token also has the backing of one of the most influential exchanges in the market. 

Unfortunately, at the moment, investor confidence is relatively low in such exchange-backed tokens. It is showing bearish trends and has already shed 50% of its value in a month. It seems highly unlikely that the coin will recover in the near future. That's why it does not seem like a good time to buy Cronos.


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