Breaking: Crypto lender Genesis Global halts withdrawals

Published at: Nov. 16, 2022

According to a new tweet by Genesis Global on Nov. 16, the institutional crypto lender says it will "temporarily suspend redemptions and new loan originations in the lending business." In explaining the decision, the firm cited "unprecedented market turmoil" related to the collapse of troubled cryptocurrency exchange FTX, resulting in "abnormal" levels of withdrawals that Genesis Global claims to exceed its current liquidity.

The firm also added that its current liquidity was negatively impacted by the collapse of hedge fund Three Arrows Capital in June. As part of bankruptcy proceedings, the brokerage has filed a $1.2 billion claim against Three Arrows Capital.

Though it's not clear what the firm's liquidity levels are, Cointelegraph previously reported that Genesis Global had $175 million worth of funds stuck on FTX. In response, Digital Currency Group, the parent company of Genesis Global, sent its subsidiary an emergency $140 million equity infusion to cover losses. 

It's now apparent that the transfer was insufficient to meet consumer withdrawal demands. As for the next steps, Genesis Global stated:

"We have hired the best advisors in the industry to explore all possible options. Next week, we will deliver a plan for the lending business. We're working tirelessly to identify the best solutions for the lending business, including among other things, sourcing new liquidity."

Genesis Global also claimed that its spot, derivatives trading, and custody businesses remain "fully operational". In its latest quarterly report, the firm stated that it has $2.8 billion worth of active loans. Since the announcement, its parent company Digital Currency Group has clarified that it has no impact on its own operations. However, Genesis Global currently serves as the liquidity provider of popular $6.7 billion Grayscale Bitcoin Investment Trust (GBTC). The fund is currently trading at a discount of nearly 40% to its net asset value at time of publication in part due to investor speculation on its exposure to Genesis Global. 

This is a breaking development and will be updated accordingly.

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