(Reuters) – Crypto lender Voyager Digital stated on Friday it has suspended withdrawals, buying and selling and deposits to its platform and stated it’s exploring strategic options to protect the worth of its platform.
The transfer comes days after the corporate issued a default discover to embattled hedge fund Three Arrows Capital (3AC) for the fund’s failure to make required funds on a mortgage.
In an announcement, Voyager Chief Executive Stephen Ehrlich stated the transfer provides the corporate “extra time to proceed exploring strategic options with numerous events” whereas preserving the worth of the platform.
Voyager stated in a launch that it had employed Moelis & Company and the Consello Group as monetary advisors, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP as authorized advisors “to assist is exploration of strategic options.”
On June 22, Voyager signed an settlement with Alameda Ventures Ltd for a revolving line of credit score, having access to extra capital to fulfill its prospects’ liquidity wants as crypto costs take a success.
In a launch, New Jersey-based Voyager stated the worth of the crypto property it holds is $685 million, in contrast with the greater than $1.12 billion in crypto property it had loaned.
Voyager stated it had lent $350 million and 15,250 bitcoins to 3AC. An individual conversant in the matter informed Reuters on Wednesday that 3AC has entered liquidation.
The transfer by Voyager comes lower than a month after rival crypto lender Celsius Network suspended withdrawals, citing excessive market circumstances. Celsius has not but opened withdrawals again up for its prospects.
Many of the crypto trade’s latest issues could be traced again to the spectacular collapse of so-called stablecoin TerraUSD in May, which noticed the stablecoin lose nearly all its worth, together with its paired token.
Bitcoin, the most important and most well-known cryptocurrency, is down 58% within the first six months of 2022, its worst first half of yr displaying ever.
(Reporting by Hannah Lang in Washington; Editing by Leslie Adler and Marguerita Choy)
