Key Points
- FTX is starting repayments for its Bahamas creditors, including Ethereum holders, based on November 2022 prices.
- Bitcoin holders will only receive a capped repayment, regardless of the current market price.
The repayment plan for FTX creditors is set to commence, with Ethereum holders in line to receive $2,500. The plan is slated to begin on February 18, with full repayment of creditors’ claims, including interest, through BitGo.
However, the repayment plan does not allow customers to reap benefits from the current market prices. Instead, the cryptocurrency holdings will be refunded based on the prices from November 2022.
Impact on Bitcoin and Ethereum Holders
The repayment cap for Bitcoin holders is set at $20,000 per Bitcoin for 98% of users. This information was shared by a cryptocurrency trader in a recent post. At the time of writing, the market price of Bitcoin is nearly five times its 2022 price, trading at $97,988.
In contrast, Ethereum holders stand to gain $2,500 from their FTX holdings. Despite the current Ethereum price being $2,698, nearly $200 more than its 2022 price, the loss is not as significant as it is for Bitcoin holders.
Reactions and Future Plans
Traders have expressed mixed reactions regarding the creditor repayments. Many have noted the relative stability of Ethereum’s price over the past two years, compared to the surge in Bitcoin’s value.
Reorganization plans became effective from January 3, necessitating creditor repayments to take place within 60 days. Court documents reveal that the defunct cryptocurrency exchange has approximately $13 billion set aside for payouts.
However, the estate has requested to retain half the total amount for disputed claims, leaving the exact sum for Bahamas creditor repayments uncertain.
FTX, a significant player in the cryptocurrency market, collapsed in 2022 under the leadership of founder Sam Bankman-Fried. Investigations uncovered corporate mismanagement and fraud, allegedly led by Bankman-Fried, leading to his conviction on multiple charges and a 25-year prison sentence.