Bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX has taken measures to restore its customer claims portal, which had been temporarily shut down due to a cyberattack. The portal is now operational again with enhanced security protocols in place. This move allows claimants to resume their efforts to recover assets they held with the exchange prior to its bankruptcy declaration.
FTX confirmed on September 16, through a statement on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), that none of its systems were affected by the cyber breach involving Kroll, the designated bankruptcy claims agent. The breach was reported to have exposed non-sensitive customer data of certain claimants, with assurances from FTX that account passwords and funds remained unaffected.
The reinstated claims portal is available to individuals holding accounts on various FTX platforms, including FTX, FTX US, Blockfolio, FTX EU, FTX Japan, and Liquid. It was previously reported that over 36,000 customer claims, amounting to $16 billion, had been filed against FTX and FTX US as of September 11. Approximately 10% of these claims had been accepted.
Additionally, FTX received about 2,300 non-customer claims, totaling $65 billion, which included claims from entities such as Genesis, Celsius, and Voyager. FTX emphasized that the temporary account freeze was a precautionary measure and had implemented additional security measures.
FTX clarified that its own systems remained unaffected by the Kroll incident. Users can still submit proof of claim through Kroll's online customer form or via traditional mail. The customer claims portal was originally launched on July 11 but was taken offline within an hour for reasons that were not disclosed.
In related developments, the US Bankruptcy Court in Delaware recently approved the sale of FTX's digital assets. The court's decision allows FTX to sell assets in weekly batches through investment advisers, subject to strict conditions. Initially, the limit for the first week's sales is set at $50 million, increasing to $100 million for subsequent weeks. However, FTX is presently prohibited from selling assets like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and certain insider-related tokens. Any potential sale of these assets would require a separate decision, following a 10-day notice to the Commission and the US Trustee.
