How FTX’s $16 Billion Payout Could Affect Bitcoin and Solana Prices

At a pivotal moment for the cryptocurrency world, FTX, the exchange that collapsed in November 2022 under the leadership of the convicted Sam Bankman-Freed, is about to pay out a whopping $16 billion to its customers.

This development could have a serious impact on Bitcoin ( BTC ) and Solana ( SOL ) prices, possibly leading to a significant increase in their values.

According to crypto analyst Xremlin, this significant cash payout will likely bring a large portion of funds back into the crypto market, acting as a catalyst for growth as the year progresses.

FTX will distribute $16B in CASH to sidelined crypto traders

In Q4, we’ll see billions of buying pressure coming

Turned bearish today? Think again

🧵Read this to find out where the cash is headed pic.twitter.com/KpNTWQcswT

— Xremlin (@0x_gremlin) July 5, 2024

Xremlin recently highlighted the importance of this upcoming distribution, pointing out that it will involve returning $16 billion in cash to people who are already part of the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

The analyst expects that much of this money will be reinvested in the market, specifically targeting various tokens, mainly Bitcoin and Solana.

This influx of funds could generate significant buying pressure, which could drive up the prices of these cryptocurrencies.

The origin of the $16 billion cash injection

This massive cash infusion originated from the settlement of FTX’s relationship with US government agencies. As part of that settlement, assets purchased with misappropriated customer funds were sold. These assets included stakes in cryptocurrencies, technology companies, venture capital funds and real estate.

After selling stakes in artificial intelligence startup Anthropic, in which FTX had previously invested $500 million, the troubled exchange ended up with $6.4 billion in cash. That figure includes assets managed by debtors and liquidators.

However, there has been some discontent among customers as customer claims are settled based on cryptocurrency prices as of November 2022, when FTX declared bankruptcy.

For example, customers who had 10 ETH in their accounts will receive about $12,000 in cash, which is significantly less than the current value of about $30,000, given that ETH was trading for about $3,000 as of July 6, 2024.

Despite these complaints, the court moved forward with the plan for a vote of creditors on the liquidation strategy. If the plan garners enough votes, it will proceed to final court approval.

A potential surge in purchases of Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana?

Important dates to watch include August 16, 2024, when FTX customers must vote on the bankruptcy liquidation plan, and October 7, 2024, when Judge John Dorsey will rule on its approval.

If the proposed plan is approved, distributions to customers are expected to begin by the end of the third quarter of 2024, potentially injecting liquidity into the token purchase market. This timing also coincides with the U.S. election, which could lead to increased market volatility.