Bankrupt FTX Mulls Comeback Amid Ongoing Investigations

Beleaguered crypto exchange FTX, currently undergoing bankruptcy proceedings, is exploring the potential revival of its business, including the relaunch of its main international exchange, FTX.com. CEO John Ray established a task force to investigate whether such a move would enhance value recovery for customers compared to asset liquidation or platform sale. FTX's native token, FTT, witnessed a surge of nearly 30% following the news.

Bankrupt Cryptocurrency Exchange FTX Explores Revival Amidst Ongoing Investigations

In a significant development, FTX, the embattled cryptocurrency exchange that filed for bankruptcy in November 2022, is contemplating the possibility of resurrecting its operations. John Ray, FTX's newly appointed Chief Executive Officer, disclosed this potential plan to the Wall Street Journal on Thursday.

Upon assuming his leadership role, Ray established a dedicated task force with the mandate of examining the feasibility of relaunching FTX.com, the company's primary international trading platform. The CEO emphasized that this exploration is being undertaken to determine whether reviving the international exchange would yield greater value for customers compared to the proceeds that could be realized from liquidating assets or selling the platform.

The announcement has triggered a surge in the price of FTX's native cryptocurrency token, FTT, which climbed approximately 30% in the wake of the news.

Meanwhile, the former CEO of FTX, Sam Bankman-Fried, who has been under fire for his alleged role in the company's downfall, expressed mixed reactions. In a tweet, he commended Ray for acknowledging the potential benefits of restarting the exchange but criticized the delay in acknowledging the solvency of FTX US and the prompt return of customer funds.

Legal representatives for FTX did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.

The collapse of FTX has cast a shadow over the cryptocurrency industry, raising concerns about the reliability and regulation of digital assets. Bankman-Fried, who was once hailed as a wunderkind in the crypto world, has been accused of misappropriating billions of dollars from FTX customers to cover debts incurred by Alameda Research, his own crypto hedge fund. He has denied any wrongdoing and has pleaded not guilty to fraud charges.

The fate of customer funds remains uncertain. FTX disclosed in a recent report to creditors that hackers have made off with approximately $415 million in cryptocurrency from both its international and U.S. exchanges since its November bankruptcy filing.

The exploration of FTX's potential revival comes at a time of heightened scrutiny for the industry. Regulators and policymakers are intensifying their efforts to implement measures to protect investors and ensure the stability of the cryptocurrency market. The outcome of FTX's efforts to relaunch its operations will be closely watched as it could provide valuable insights into the future of the crypto industry and the recovery of customer funds.