The Defiant

BlockFi Files For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

Crypto Lender Paused Withdrawals On Nov. 10 Citing FTX Exposure

By: Aleksandar Gilbert Loading...

BlockFi Files For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

The collapse of FTX has felled another crypto business, with centralized lender BlockFi filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday.

The move comes two weeks after BlockFi suspended withdrawals due to “the lack of clarity on the status of FTX.com, FTX US, and Alameda.”

Crypto Lender BlockFi Suspends Withdrawals 

Crypto Lender BlockFi Suspends Withdrawals 

Platform Cites Exposure to FTX

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FTX’s U.S. arm signed an option to purchase BlockFi in July. But the acquisition had yet to be completed when the lender suspended withdrawals on Nov. 10, per BlockFi’s co-founder and COO, Flori Marquez. The next day, FTX filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

BlockFi will try to recover the money it is owed by FTX, the company said in a news release Monday.

“Due to the recent collapse of FTX and its ensuing bankruptcy process, which remains ongoing, the Company expects that recoveries from FTX will be delayed,” BlockFi said.

Meanwhile, it will ask the court for permission to keep paying employees so that it can continue “business-critical functions during the chapter 11 process.”

According to the release, has US$256.9 million in cash on hand, “which is expected to provide sufficient liquidity to support certain operations during the restructuring process.”

Sam Bankman-Fried, who founded FTX but relinquished his role as CEO the same day it declared bankruptcy, tweeted about BlockFi’s finances in July, when the acquisition was announced.

‘All Operations Are Normal’ Says Bankman-Fried as FTX Provides $250M Credit to BlockFi

‘All Operations Are Normal’ Says Bankman-Fried as FTX Provides $250M Credit to BlockFi

BlockFi, a crypto lending platform, has secured a revolving line of credit of $250M with FTX, the second-largest crypto exchange by trading volume, leaders of both companies said Tuesday. 

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“BlockFi is financially strong,” he wrote. “All operations are normal, as they always have been, and assets are safe.”

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BlockFi raised a Series D round that valued the company above $3B in February 2021, according to Crunchbase.

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