QuadrigaCX’s bankruptcy trustee, Ernst & Young, has announced an interim distribution of funds to creditors of the now-defunct Canadian cryptocurrency exchange. The announcement was made in consultation with estate inspectors, and a Notice to Affected Users will be posted soon with further details about the distribution process.
QuadrigaCX became insolvent in February 2019, following the death of its co-founder, Gerald Cotten. Cotten had taken the private keys to QuadrigaCX’s offline storage systems to his grave, leaving the exchange unable to access its funds. According to the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC), QuadrigaCX owes its affected clients an estimated $160 million. Since then, Ernst & Young has been working as the bankruptcy trustee for QuadrigaCX and has been attempting to recover any assets it can for the exchange’s creditors. So far, the trustee has recovered $34.3 million worth of assets.
The interim distribution of funds provides some relief to QuadrigaCX’s creditors, who have been waiting for over two years to receive any compensation for their losses. However, the trustee has also stated that a small number of affected users may receive a Notice of Disallowance of Claim, meaning that their creditor’s claim has been revised or disallowed in the bankruptcy process. If users receive a Notice of Disallowance, they have the right to appeal the decision. Miller Thomson, the law firm representing QuadrigaCX users, has advised affected users to review the reasons for the revision or disallowance and gather any necessary evidence to support their claim.
The collapse of QuadrigaCX was a major blow to the Canadian cryptocurrency market, raising concerns about investor protection and regulatory oversight. The QuadrigaCX case highlighted the need for proper safeguards and measures to protect investors and prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
Ernst & Young’s announcement of the interim distribution of funds is a significant step in the bankruptcy proceedings of QuadrigaCX. However, it remains to be seen how much creditors will actually receive and how long the proceedings will continue. The bankruptcy trustee continues to work towards recovering any additional assets for the exchange’s creditors.