加密貨幣圈子里既有看起來自以為是但據(jù)說頗有遠(yuǎn)見卓識(shí)的首席執(zhí)行官,也有似乎從不睡覺的超級(jí)巨星交易員,與其他熱火朝天的行業(yè)一樣,到處都是能人。
但是,當(dāng)數(shù)以百萬計(jì)或十億計(jì)的真金白銀被置于風(fēng)險(xiǎn)中時(shí),一顆明星的隕落可能和它的飛升一樣快。
以下是2022年震撼幣圈的五大隕落事件。
山姆·班克曼-弗里德(SBF)
前FTX首席執(zhí)行官曾被譽(yù)為幣圈“白衣騎士”,現(xiàn)在他被軟禁在加州帕洛阿爾托的父母家中,此前他被從巴哈馬引渡回國后,繳納了2.5億美元的天價(jià)保釋金才獲釋。
在華爾街交易公司Jane Street工作了一段時(shí)間后,山姆·班克曼-弗里德(SBF)和其他聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人共同創(chuàng)建了加密貨幣交易公司Alameda Research。SBF隨后成立了加密貨幣交易所FTX,后來成為全球最大的加密貨幣交易所之一。
SBF是“有效利他主義”的最知名倡導(dǎo)者之一,提倡為盡可能多的人的利益最大化造福,但他似乎并不像看起來那么樂善好施。去年12月,SBF被控8項(xiàng)罪名,包括證券欺詐、電信欺詐,以及幾項(xiàng)涉及洗錢和違反競(jìng)選財(cái)務(wù)規(guī)定的合謀罪。
權(quán)道亨
滿嘴跑火車的首席執(zhí)行官在科技界并不少見。但他們中的大多數(shù)人無需對(duì)400億美元的崩盤負(fù)責(zé)。
Terraform Labs的韓國創(chuàng)始人權(quán)道亨現(xiàn)在被國際刑警組織和韓國當(dāng)局通緝。權(quán)創(chuàng)建了算法穩(wěn)定幣TerraUSD,部分人譽(yù)之為維系加密行業(yè)增長(zhǎng)的重要工具。
TerraUSD通過與Terraform Labs發(fā)行的另外一種加密貨幣Luna幣的微妙平衡,保持與美元1比1的掛鉤。Luna幣的市值一度攀升至400億美元,之后遭遇了本質(zhì)上與銀行擠兌無異的市場(chǎng)事件,導(dǎo)致兩種加密貨幣都崩盤了。
權(quán)是如此自信,或者說如此自欺欺人,他無視了對(duì)TerraUSD和Luna的任何批評(píng),他說:“我不與窮人爭(zhēng)論。”盡管現(xiàn)在仍然偶爾在互聯(lián)網(wǎng)上活躍——他最近一次現(xiàn)身是在幣圈大V Cobie的直播播客UpOnly中——但他在現(xiàn)實(shí)生活的下落未知。韓國新聞機(jī)構(gòu)韓聯(lián)社12月12日?qǐng)?bào)道稱,他可能在塞爾維亞。
蘇竹和凱爾·戴維斯
三箭資本(Three Arrows Capital)的創(chuàng)始人蘇竹和凱爾·戴維斯曾是加密貨幣領(lǐng)域的神童投資者——直到他們跌落神壇。
這對(duì)合伙人通過用借來的錢進(jìn)行了一系列投機(jī)性投資,創(chuàng)建了市場(chǎng)上一度最成功的加密對(duì)沖基金之一。但在錯(cuò)誤地押注灰度比特幣信托基金(Grayscale Bitcoin Trust),又投資2億美元購買Luna幣后,他們的公司破產(chǎn)了。
盡管這家加密對(duì)沖基金聲稱沒有“外部投資者”,但其財(cái)務(wù)內(nèi)爆導(dǎo)致債權(quán)人索賠數(shù)十億美元。
這對(duì)幣圈大腕曾經(jīng)是加密貨幣行業(yè)“新錢”的縮影,他們?cè)噲D通過花5000萬美元購買一艘被命名為Much Wow的超級(jí)游艇來證明這一點(diǎn),但因二人未能支付最后一筆款項(xiàng),這艘游艇不得不再次掛牌出售。
亞歷克斯·馬辛斯基
攝氏(Celsius)前首席執(zhí)行官亞歷克斯·馬辛斯基在執(zhí)掌這家加密貨幣銀行期間,廣告里為儲(chǔ)蓄賬戶客戶承諾的年收益率高達(dá)18%。這似乎好得令人難以置信。事實(shí)也的確如此。
攝氏于7月申請(qǐng)破產(chǎn),是首批凍結(jié)客戶提款的大型加密貨幣公司之一。據(jù)路透社報(bào)道,馬辛斯基負(fù)責(zé)該公司的投資策略,做出了一連串糟糕的選擇,包括過度杠桿化,將大約1.25億美元投入到灰度比特幣信托基金等,灰度今年下跌了近80%。
去年,該公司自稱擁有100萬客戶,管理著約200億美元的資產(chǎn)。在破產(chǎn)申請(qǐng)文件中,該公司聲稱其欠客戶的債務(wù)超過47億美元。
目前還不確定這些客戶能否要回自己的投資,對(duì)一些人來說,這是他們畢生的積蓄。在公司申請(qǐng)破產(chǎn)幾個(gè)月后,馬辛斯基辭去了首席執(zhí)行官一職,稱自己已經(jīng)“越來越讓人覺得分心”。
斯蒂芬·埃利奇
斯蒂芬·埃利希的Voyager Digital公司在鼎盛時(shí)期,在馬克·庫班等名人的助推下,打出了兩位數(shù)收益的廣告。
埃利希和公司在今年早些時(shí)候遇到了麻煩,因?yàn)榧用軐?duì)沖基金三箭資本未能支付欠該公司的超6.65億美元資金。
巔峰時(shí)期曾擁有過350萬用戶的Voyager Digital于今年7月申請(qǐng)了破產(chǎn)。
該公司差點(diǎn)以約14億美元的價(jià)格將其資產(chǎn)出售給FTX,但后者上個(gè)月也破產(chǎn)了,Voyager開始尋找新的買家。從目前看,幣安(Binance)的美國分公司似乎將以大約10億美元的價(jià)格收購Voyager的資產(chǎn)。
不過,在Voyager破產(chǎn)后,埃利希的結(jié)局可能會(huì)比他的大多數(shù)客戶要好。據(jù)報(bào)道,他在2021年2月、3月Voyager股價(jià)高峰期拋售股票賺了幾百萬美元。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:Agatha
加密貨幣圈子里既有看起來自以為是但據(jù)說頗有遠(yuǎn)見卓識(shí)的首席執(zhí)行官,也有似乎從不睡覺的超級(jí)巨星交易員,與其他熱火朝天的行業(yè)一樣,到處都是能人。
但是,當(dāng)數(shù)以百萬計(jì)或十億計(jì)的真金白銀被置于風(fēng)險(xiǎn)中時(shí),一顆明星的隕落可能和它的飛升一樣快。
以下是2022年震撼幣圈的五大隕落事件。
山姆·班克曼-弗里德(SBF)
前FTX首席執(zhí)行官曾被譽(yù)為幣圈“白衣騎士”,現(xiàn)在他被軟禁在加州帕洛阿爾托的父母家中,此前他被從巴哈馬引渡回國后,繳納了2.5億美元的天價(jià)保釋金才獲釋。
在華爾街交易公司Jane Street工作了一段時(shí)間后,山姆·班克曼-弗里德(SBF)和其他聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人共同創(chuàng)建了加密貨幣交易公司Alameda Research。SBF隨后成立了加密貨幣交易所FTX,后來成為全球最大的加密貨幣交易所之一。
SBF是“有效利他主義”的最知名倡導(dǎo)者之一,提倡為盡可能多的人的利益最大化造福,但他似乎并不像看起來那么樂善好施。去年12月,SBF被控8項(xiàng)罪名,包括證券欺詐、電信欺詐,以及幾項(xiàng)涉及洗錢和違反競(jìng)選財(cái)務(wù)規(guī)定的合謀罪。
權(quán)道亨
滿嘴跑火車的首席執(zhí)行官在科技界并不少見。但他們中的大多數(shù)人無需對(duì)400億美元的崩盤負(fù)責(zé)。
Terraform Labs的韓國創(chuàng)始人權(quán)道亨現(xiàn)在被國際刑警組織和韓國當(dāng)局通緝。權(quán)創(chuàng)建了算法穩(wěn)定幣TerraUSD,部分人譽(yù)之為維系加密行業(yè)增長(zhǎng)的重要工具。
TerraUSD通過與Terraform Labs發(fā)行的另外一種加密貨幣Luna幣的微妙平衡,保持與美元1比1的掛鉤。Luna幣的市值一度攀升至400億美元,之后遭遇了本質(zhì)上與銀行擠兌無異的市場(chǎng)事件,導(dǎo)致兩種加密貨幣都崩盤了。
權(quán)是如此自信,或者說如此自欺欺人,他無視了對(duì)TerraUSD和Luna的任何批評(píng),他說:“我不與窮人爭(zhēng)論。”盡管現(xiàn)在仍然偶爾在互聯(lián)網(wǎng)上活躍——他最近一次現(xiàn)身是在幣圈大V Cobie的直播播客UpOnly中——但他在現(xiàn)實(shí)生活的下落未知。韓國新聞機(jī)構(gòu)韓聯(lián)社12月12日?qǐng)?bào)道稱,他可能在塞爾維亞。
蘇竹和凱爾·戴維斯
三箭資本(Three Arrows Capital)的創(chuàng)始人蘇竹和凱爾·戴維斯曾是加密貨幣領(lǐng)域的神童投資者——直到他們跌落神壇。
這對(duì)合伙人通過用借來的錢進(jìn)行了一系列投機(jī)性投資,創(chuàng)建了市場(chǎng)上一度最成功的加密對(duì)沖基金之一。但在錯(cuò)誤地押注灰度比特幣信托基金(Grayscale Bitcoin Trust),又投資2億美元購買Luna幣后,他們的公司破產(chǎn)了。
盡管這家加密對(duì)沖基金聲稱沒有“外部投資者”,但其財(cái)務(wù)內(nèi)爆導(dǎo)致債權(quán)人索賠數(shù)十億美元。
這對(duì)幣圈大腕曾經(jīng)是加密貨幣行業(yè)“新錢”的縮影,他們?cè)噲D通過花5000萬美元購買一艘被命名為Much Wow的超級(jí)游艇來證明這一點(diǎn),但因二人未能支付最后一筆款項(xiàng),這艘游艇不得不再次掛牌出售。
亞歷克斯·馬辛斯基
攝氏(Celsius)前首席執(zhí)行官亞歷克斯·馬辛斯基在執(zhí)掌這家加密貨幣銀行期間,廣告里為儲(chǔ)蓄賬戶客戶承諾的年收益率高達(dá)18%。這似乎好得令人難以置信。事實(shí)也的確如此。
攝氏于7月申請(qǐng)破產(chǎn),是首批凍結(jié)客戶提款的大型加密貨幣公司之一。據(jù)路透社報(bào)道,馬辛斯基負(fù)責(zé)該公司的投資策略,做出了一連串糟糕的選擇,包括過度杠桿化,將大約1.25億美元投入到灰度比特幣信托基金等,灰度今年下跌了近80%。
去年,該公司自稱擁有100萬客戶,管理著約200億美元的資產(chǎn)。在破產(chǎn)申請(qǐng)文件中,該公司聲稱其欠客戶的債務(wù)超過47億美元。
目前還不確定這些客戶能否要回自己的投資,對(duì)一些人來說,這是他們畢生的積蓄。在公司申請(qǐng)破產(chǎn)幾個(gè)月后,馬辛斯基辭去了首席執(zhí)行官一職,稱自己已經(jīng)“越來越讓人覺得分心”。
斯蒂芬·埃利奇
斯蒂芬·埃利希的Voyager Digital公司在鼎盛時(shí)期,在馬克·庫班等名人的助推下,打出了兩位數(shù)收益的廣告。
埃利希和公司在今年早些時(shí)候遇到了麻煩,因?yàn)榧用軐?duì)沖基金三箭資本未能支付欠該公司的超6.65億美元資金。
巔峰時(shí)期曾擁有過350萬用戶的Voyager Digital于今年7月申請(qǐng)了破產(chǎn)。
該公司差點(diǎn)以約14億美元的價(jià)格將其資產(chǎn)出售給FTX,但后者上個(gè)月也破產(chǎn)了,Voyager開始尋找新的買家。從目前看,幣安(Binance)的美國分公司似乎將以大約10億美元的價(jià)格收購Voyager的資產(chǎn)。
不過,在Voyager破產(chǎn)后,埃利希的結(jié)局可能會(huì)比他的大多數(shù)客戶要好。據(jù)報(bào)道,他在2021年2月、3月Voyager股價(jià)高峰期拋售股票賺了幾百萬美元。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:Agatha
From the brash but supposedly visionary CEO to the superstar trader who never seems to sleep, crypto, like other high-flying industries, is filled with hotshots.
But when millions—or billions—of dollars are on the line, a shining star can burn out as quickly as it emerged.
Here are five prominent falls from grace that shook the crypto world in 2022.
SBF
Once hailed as the “white knight” of crypto, the former FTX CEO is now on house arrest at his parents house in Palo Alto, California after being released on a whopping $250 million bond following his extradition from The Bahamas.
After some time at the Wall Street trading firm Jane Street, Sam Bankman-Fried and his cofounders created the crypto trading firm Alameda Research. SBF then founded FTX, a cryptocurrency exchange that rose to become one of the world’s largest.
But SBF, known as one of the biggest advocates of effective altruism, which promotes doing the most good for the most people, perhaps was not as benevolent as he seemed. In December, Bankman-Fried was charged with eight counts including securities fraud, wire fraud, and several counts of conspiracy that involve money laundering and campaign finance violations.
Do Kwon
Brash, trash-talking CEOs aren’t uncommon in tech. But most of them also aren’t responsible for $40 billion meltdowns.
The South Korean founder of Terraform Labs, Do Kwon, is now wanted by Interpol and South Korean authorities. Kwon created the algorithmic stablecoin TerraUSD, which was hailed by some as an essential tool for the growth of the crypto industry.
The stablecoin kept its 1-to-1 peg with the U.S. dollar through a delicate balancing act with another Terraform Labs token, Luna. The value of Luna rose to $40 billion before what was effectively a bank run collapsed both cryptocurrencies.
Kwon was so confident—or so deluded—that he shook off any criticism of TerraUSD and Luna, saying, “I don’t debate the poor.” Although sometimes still active online—he recently appeared on crypto influencer Cobie’s livestreamed podcast UpOnly—his real-life whereabouts are unknown. South Korean news outlet Yonhap reported?on Dec. 12 that he may be in Serbia.
Su Zhu and Kyle Davies
The founders of Three Arrows Capital, Su Zhu and Kyle Davies, were the whiz kid investors of the crypto world—until they weren’t.
Through a series of speculative investments made with borrowed money, the pair created one of the most successful crypto hedge funds. But after a misplaced bet on Grayscale Bitcoin Trust, and a $200 million investment in Luna, which later collapsed, the firm went belly up.
Although the crypto hedge fund claimed to have no “external investors,” its financial implosion led to billions of dollars in claims from creditors.
The crypto bigwigs were once the epitome of a wave of new money coming from the crypto industry, and they sought to prove it with the purchase of a $50 million superyacht called Much Wow, which had to be put up for sale again after Zhu and Davies failed to make their final payment.
Alex Mashinsky
The former CEO of Celsius, Alex Mashinsky helmed the cryptocurrency bank while it advertised annual yields of up to 18% for customers who opened savings accounts. It appeared too good to be true. And it was.
Celsius filed for bankruptcy in July after becoming one of the first major crypto companies to freeze customer withdrawals. Mashinsky was reportedly in charge of the company’s investment strategy and made a series of bad bets, according to Reuters, including over-the-top leveraging and putting about $125 million in the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust, which is down nearly 80% this year.
Last year, the company boasted 1 million customers and about $20 billion in assets under management. In bankruptcy filings, the company claimed that it owed customers more than $4.7 billion.
It’s unclear if Celsius customers will get back the money they invested, which for some was all of their savings. Months after the company filed for bankruptcy, Mashinsky stepped down as CEO, claiming he had “become an increasing distraction.”
Stephen Ehrlich
At its peak, Stephen Ehrlich’s Voyager Digital advertised double-digit yields with the help of celebrity advocates like Mark Cuban.
Ehrlich and the company ran into trouble earlier this year as crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital failed to pay the more than $665 million it owed the company.
After building up a mass of 3.5 million customers at its peak, Voyager Digital filed for bankruptcy in July.
The company almost sold its assets to FTX for?about $1.4 billion, but after the the latter imploded last month, Voyager went searching for a new buyer. It appears now that the U.S. arm of Binance will be buying Voyager’s assets for about $1 billion.
Still, Ehrlich might end up better off than most of Voyager’s customers post bankruptcy. He reportedly made millions selling Voyager shares during their peak in February and March 2021.