As a seasoned analyst with over two decades of experience in the financial sector, I find myself both intrigued and saddened by the latest developments at Celsius. The recent announcement of a $127 million distribution to creditors is indeed a step forward, but it’s important to remember that this represents just 60.4% of their claims – still leaving many investors in the red.


Struggling cryptocurrency lending company, Celsius, has disclosed intentions to dispense an extra $127 million to its creditors.

The firm’s announcement disclosed that the payout is coming from their “Litigation Settlement Fund” and will be distributed to certain categories of claimants.

Distribution Details

As stated in a filing made on November 27th, the money will be distributed to those who fall under classes 2, 5, 6, 8, and 9. This encompasses retail borrower deposit claims, earnings claims, withholding claims, unsecured loan claims, and general unsecured claims.

Creditors who meet the criteria have the option to receive their compensation in either Bitcoin or cash. The method of payment employed in an earlier event in August – PayPal, Venmo, and Coinbase – will be utilized for distribution as well.

For lenders without an established account on these platforms, they’ll get cash payments instead. Companies making claims can expect to receive their payment, but those filing for convenience claims won’t be eligible in this particular distribution.

In my analysis, following the second distribution, every qualified creditor stands to get a collective payout, either in cash or liquid cryptocurrency, equating roughly to 60.4% of their respective claim values, as determined on the petition date, according to the company’s statement.

Initially, Celsius distributed approximately $2.53 billion back to around 251,000 borrowers, which corresponded to about 57.65% of all claims. In the upcoming distribution, eligible claimants will receive payouts that cover roughly 60.4%, with the exact amount depending on a Bitcoin price of $95,836.23.

Complaints and Trial Update

Although this recent progress benefits numerous creditors, some users have voiced their disappointment over the size of their payouts. Specifically on platform X, a previous Celsius customer pointed out that they are still falling short by six figures following the disbursements.

Another investor, identified as JCH, lamented losing 8 BTC due to Celsius’s collapse, adding that they would have been a millionaire today had the company not failed. JCH later described the payout as “peanuts,” expressing frustration over the limited amount they got.

After the fall of Celsius in 2022, its ex-CEO, Alex Mashinsky, was apprehended and indicted for alleged fraud in July 2023. The charges claim that he deceived depositors about the potential dangers involved in investing on the platform by not disclosing the risks clearly.

On January 28, 2025, the ex-executive is set to stand trial, and a preliminary hearing has been arranged for January 16. The federal court has turned down his plea to throw out allegations of fraud linked to the company’s bankruptcy.

In simpler terms, Judge John Koeltl decided that the defense’s attempts to throw out the case were either no longer relevant (moot) or lacked substance (without merit). This means that Mashinsky will need to address seven remaining charges during his upcoming trial.

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2024-11-29 17:34