The announcement from Mt. Gox rehabilitation trustee Nobuaki Kobayashi that repayments would commence in July 2024 marks the potential conclusion of a decade long saga for the once largest cryptocurrency exchange. Mt. Gox suffered one of the largest hacks in cryptocurrency history in 2014, resulting in over 850,000 Bitcoin being stolen from the exchange.
This started the exchange into bankruptcy and a complicated rehabilitation process in Japanese courts. Over the past several years, trustees have worked to retrieve funds from cold storage wallets and evaluate claims from creditors who had assets locked on the defunct exchange at the time of the hack.
Preparations Been Ongoing Since May
In May, the trustee consolidated 141,686 BTC then worth $9.6 billion from cold wallets into a single wallet, confirming this was for impending repayments. The consolidation represented the first on-chain movement of Mt. Gox funds in over 5 years.
Over $9 Billion to be Distributed
According to reports, the rehabilitation trustee for Mt. Gox owes over 140,000 Bitcoin and 143,000 Bitcoin cash to distribute to creditors. This represents a total of more than $9 billion to be distributed starting in July.
The trustee noted that distribution would be made in "the order of the cryptocurrency exchanges with which the Rehabilitation Trustee will complete the exchange and confirmation of the required information," suggesting a complex process.
Potential Impact on Crypto Markets
With such a large amount of Bitcoin and Bitcoin cash entering the market, there is speculation this could create new selling pressure. Many early Mt. Gox creditors acquired their assets years ago at a fraction of their current value.
As such, analysts believe many may look to realize some gains by selling at least a portion of their distributions. This selling activity from a large number of individual holders could further weigh on Bitcoin and Bitcoin cash prices in the short-term. However, others note the distributions will occur over an extended period, helping to mitigate potential impacts.
A Long-Awaited Closure
After nearly ten years since the original hack and bankruptcy, it appears the extended rehabilitation process for Mt. Gox may finally deliver some form of closure and compensation to the thousands of creditors affected by the collapse of the major exchange. However, many technical details around the distribution process remain unclear.
The trustee and courts will have more work ahead to ensure a smooth claims and repayment process. For those first exposed to the emerging world of cryptocurrency through Mt. Gox nearly a decade ago, July 2024 may mark one of the final chapters in a long, turbulent but landmark story for the industry.
