FTX, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world, has obtained a court order to liquidate $3.4 billion worth of crypto assets from its customers who defaulted on their margin trading positions. The exchange, which is based in Hong Kong and registered in Antigua and Barbuda, filed a petition with the High Court of Hong Kong on September 7, seeking authorization to sell the crypto assets of more than 800,000 customers who had negative balances on their accounts.
According to the petition, FTX had suffered massive losses due to the extreme volatility of the crypto market in August and September, when several major cryptocurrencies plunged by more than 50%. The exchange said that it had tried to contact the defaulting customers and request them to deposit more funds or close their positions, but most of them failed to do so.
According to the company’s quarterly report, FTX’s total revenue decreased by 35% from $1.2 billion in Q2 to $780 million in Q3, while its net income fell by 50% from $600 million to $300 million. The company also saw a decline in its trading volume, user base and market share, as many investors withdrew from the crypto space or switched to other platforms.
Tekedia Mini-MBA edition 14 (June 3 – Sept 2, 2024) begins registrations; get massive discounts with early registration here.
Tekedia AI in Business Masterclass opens registrations here.
Join Tekedia Capital Syndicate and invest in Africa’s finest startups here.
FTX’s CEO Sam Bankman-Fried said that the company was prepared for the market downturn and had taken measures to mitigate its impact, such as reducing its leverage ratio, increasing its liquidity reserves and diversifying its revenue streams. He also expressed confidence that the crypto market would recover soon and that FTX would regain its momentum and growth.
“We are not discouraged by the temporary setback. We believe that crypto is the future of finance and that FTX is well-positioned to capture the opportunities that lie ahead. We have a strong team, a loyal community and a solid product that offers a superior trading experience. We will continue to innovate, improve and expand our services to meet the needs and expectations of our customers,” he said.
The court granted FTX’s request on September 13, giving the exchange the green light to liquidate the crypto assets of the defaulting customers at the best available market prices. The court also ordered FTX to deposit the proceeds of the liquidation into a separate account and report back to the court within 30 days.
FTX said that it regretted having to take this drastic action, but it was necessary to protect its solvency and the interests of its other customers. The exchange also said that it would try to minimize the impact of the liquidation on the crypto market and avoid causing further price fluctuations.
One of the main challenges that FTX faces is how to protect its users and funds from potential losses due to market volatility, hacking, or other unforeseen events. In this blog post, we will explore some of the steps that FTX takes to mitigate against loss and ensure a secure and reliable trading experience for its customers.
The liquidation order is one of the largest in the history of the crypto industry and reflects the high risks involved in margin trading, which allows traders to borrow funds from exchanges or other platforms to amplify their profits or losses. Margin trading can be very profitable in a bull market, but it can also lead to huge losses in a bear market, especially if traders do not have enough collateral or fail to monitor their positions closely.
