Another one bites the dust (BlockFi, it's BlockFi that is biting the dust).
If the headline didn't make it clear enough: BlockFi just filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Here's how they ended up in this situation:
Jan 2022, everything is great. No problems here. The crypto market has weakened slightly, but hey - we've been on a helluva run for ~2 years now, so it's about due.
May 2022, Terra Luna collapses and tanks the market (boooo!).
Jun 2022, dropping crypto prices mean BlockFi can't keep up with their loan repayments. To stay afloat, they cut 20% of staff and take a $250M loan from FTX...
(See where this is going?).
Jul-Nov 2022, FTX are giving out loans to struggling crypto platforms like candy. Everyone looks at SBF as "crypto's white knight." Though prices stay depressed, making that $250M line of credit crucial to BlockFi's survival.
Nov 2022, 'The Dark Knight Rises' (FTX goes under) - crypto prices drop even further, everyone pulls their money off centralized exchanges and lending platforms (like BlockFi) putting even more pressure on them.
...and that $250M line of credit from FTX evaporates.
Which brings us to today, where BlockFi files for bankruptcy.
Grim. But not all that surprising.
Oh - and this just came in as we were writing this article:
A bold move on BlockFi's part. Hope everyones doing ok out there!