Two Genesis Creditors Describe Their Frustrations With the Bankrupt Crypto Lender - Ep. 565
Nov 4, 2023
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Genesis creditors BJ and Branden discuss the alleged fraud by the crypto lender and its parent company, DCG. They want DCG to pay back $1.1 billion sooner and in actual Bitcoin. The discussion follows NYAG Letitia James' lawsuit against Genesis. They also talk about Genesis' liquidity mismatch and their frustrations with the lender's bankruptcy process.
The Genesis creditors formed an ad hoc group to save the company and offered $900 million in liquidity to cover Gemini-earned withdrawals.
Genesis extended loans to DCG after the Three Arrows Capital bankruptcy, revealing a $1.1 billion hole in their balance sheet.
The ad hoc group and the unsecured creditors committee (UCC) discovered discrepancies in Genesis's lending reports, leading to legal action and negotiations with DCG.
Deep dives
Genesis creditors offer to help fill liquidity hole
The Genesis creditors, including the ad hoc group, formed to save Genesis, offered to provide $900 million in liquidity to cover the Gemini-earn withdrawals. They believed there was a liquidity mismatch due to borrowers having longer-term loans. However, they later discovered a $1.1 billion hole in Genesis's balance sheet, which was never filled by parent company DCG. Further negotiations with DCG resulted in differing valuations of the $1.1 billion promissory note, with Genesis claiming it was worth $1.1 billion, while DCG argued for a lower valuation of $200 million. Genesis eventually filed for bankruptcy on January 19th, 2023, claiming DCG owed $500 million and over 4,500 Bitcoin.
Genesis creditors form ad hoc group and unsecured creditors committee
The ad hoc group, originally formed to save Genesis, aimed to provide $900 million in liquidity to Gemini-earned customers. On the other hand, the unsecured creditors committee (UCC) represented all unsecured creditors in the bankruptcy proceedings. This includes customers who weren't part of the ad hoc group. The UCC had a fiduciary responsibility to advocate for all unsecured creditors' rights during the bankruptcy process.
Genesis extended loans to DCG and faced collateral issues
Genesis extended loans to DCG after the three arrows capital bankruptcy, indicating a $1.1 billion hole in their balance sheet. Additionally, it was revealed that Genesis accepted GBTC as collateral at a one-to-one ratio, despite its limitations in trading and liquidity. The UCC and ad hoc group uncovered discrepancies in Genesis's lending reports and balance sheet, prompting legal action and negotiations with DCG.
Current status and efforts for alternative restructuring plans
The bankruptcy judge granted Genesis an extension to file their master plan, and the ad hoc group requested the opportunity to propose their own plan. Genesis currently has exclusivity in submitting a restructuring plan, but creditors are seeking to end this exclusivity period so that they can present their own solutions. The objective is to find a way out of bankruptcy and address the issues surrounding DCG's obligations and Genesis's liquidity hole.
Bitcoin's Rally and BlackRock's Potential ETF
Bitcoin's price jumped 16% over the past 10 days, doubling its value from a year ago. BlackRock, a global asset manager, is seen as a leading candidate for approval of a Bitcoin ETF and has reportedly engaged in discussions with market-making giants for liquidity. Bernstein predicts Bitcoin could reach $150,000 by 2025 if an ETF is approved. The Federal Reserve's decision to leave interest rates unchanged also fueled investor risk appetite.
UK Proposes Crypto Regulations, Highlights Stablecoins
The UK government unveiled proposals for cryptocurrency regulations, which will be implemented gradually over the next year. The regulations include controls for stablecoins backed by fiat currencies and algorithmic stablecoins. These activities will be overseen by the Financial Conduct Authority. The aim is to position the UK as an attractive destination for crypto assets. The government update follows guidelines issued by the FCA that require cryptocurrency advertisers to include risk warnings and substantiate claims.
Two Genesis creditors, BJ and Branden, who prefer to use pseudonyms for security reasons, spoke with Unchained about the alleged fraud by the crypto lender and its parent company, Digital Currency Group (DCG). The discussion is one of the first times Genesis creditors have spoken with a media organization about the situation.
BJ and Branden explain how they gave more loans to Genesis after it took a $1.1 billion hit from the liquidation of Three Arrows Capital and how they then came to be members of the ad hoc group, a collective of Genesis customers who came together to try and save the company from bankruptcy.
They talk about how they now want DCG to pay back the $1.1 billion it owes over a shorter timeframe and to pay back any Bitcoin in actual Bitcoin. The discussion with Unchained followed shortly after New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit against Genesis, along with its parent company Digital Currency Group, and Gemini Trust.