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3AC Founders Vow to Donate Future Earnings

Web3 & Enterprise·July 05, 2023, 12:44 AM

The co-founders of the Singapore-headquartered bankrupt crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital (3AC) have publicly committed to donating their “future earnings” to creditors who suffered losses during the fund’s dramatic collapse.

Kyle Davies and Su Zhu made this groundbreaking announcement during a candid Twitter Spaces session hosted by Mario Nafwal, aiming to establish a “shadow recovery process” parallel to the ongoing liquidation proceedings.

Photo by Josh Appel on Unsplash

 

Believing in karma

Davies explained that their intended donations would be separate from the formal recovery process, designed to supplement any reimbursements that creditors might receive through the liquidation proceedings. While acknowledging that some early creditors have already been made whole, he emphasized the founders’ unwavering belief in the concept of “karma.”

They see their act of giving back as a way to balance the scales and provide an avenue for creditors to potentially recover their losses.

 

Creditor skepticism

However, these noble intentions expressed by Davies and Zhu have been met with skepticism from the crypto community and the very creditors they seek to assist. Teneo, the liquidator overseeing the 3AC liquidation, responded to Davies’ comments by expressing disappointment in the founders’ lack of cooperation during the ongoing process. They stressed that the founders should prioritize engaging in the court-ordered activities rather than making promises about future earnings from a new venture.

Acknowledging concerns about optics, Davies addressed questions surrounding the launch of their new crypto exchange, Open Exchange (OPNX), while their previous company undergoes liquidation. He stressed the inherent connection between OPNX and the creditors, suggesting that the success of their new entrepreneurial endeavor would ultimately benefit those affected by the collapse of Three Arrows Capital.

 

OPNX success required

OPNX, the newly launched Dubai-based trading platform, is specifically designed to facilitate the trading of bankruptcy claims. Since its announcement in February, the platform has garnered significant attention, boasting an impressive user base of 20 million individuals holding a collective $20 billion in claims. It is worth noting that the collapse of Three Arrows Capital resulted in the loss of $2.5 billion in customer deposits, making the success of OPNX crucial for creditors seeking redress.

Davies also revealed that OPNX currently records approximately $50 million in daily trading volume, showcasing promising early traction for the platform. However, the exact mechanics of the “shadow recovery process” were left unspecified.

While OPNX currently only facilitates the trading of claims from lender Celsius, the platform has ambitious plans to include claims from other high-profile bankruptcies in the near future. The list of potential additions encompasses notable entities such as FTX, Genesis, BlockFi, Voyager, Hodlnaut, Mt. Gox, Vauld, Zipmex, and even Three Arrows Capital itself.

When taken at face value, the founders’ pledge to donate future earnings to creditors takes on the appearance of a significant and commendable gesture. However, doubts persist within the crypto community due to the founders’ prior actions and the ongoing liquidation process. Only time will reveal the true impact of this “shadow recovery process” and whether it will genuinely alleviate the losses suffered by creditors in the wake of Three Arrows Capital’s collapse.

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