Users of Hacked Exchange Cryptopia Can Now Make Claims to Recover Funds

The liquidator of the defunct cryptocurrency exchange has opened a portal so former users can begin making claims to retrieve their trapped funds.

AccessTimeIconDec 11, 2020 at 11:33 a.m. UTC
Updated May 9, 2023 at 3:14 a.m. UTC
10 Years of Decentralizing the Future
May 29-31, 2024 - Austin, TexasThe biggest and most established global hub for everything crypto, blockchain and Web3.Register Now

The liquidator of the defunct cryptocurrency exchange Cryptopia has told former customers they can now begin making claims for the return of their funds.

In a blog post Wednesday, the New Zealand branch of accountancy firm Grant Thornton said it has opened a claims portal allowing affected users to register for the repatriation of property still held by the exchange. All accounts were frozen after over US$17 million in ether and ERC-20 tokens was stolen during a hack in early 2019.

  • How NEAR Enables Multichain Access From One Account
    00:56
    How NEAR Enables Multichain Access From One Account
  • Why the NEAR foundation Chose Eigenlayer as a Security Partner
    00:54
    Why the NEAR foundation Chose Eigenlayer as a Security Partner
  • Judge Kaplan Had 'No Love' for Sam Bankman-Fried, Legal Expert Says
    07:08
    Judge Kaplan Had 'No Love' for Sam Bankman-Fried, Legal Expert Says
  • How Bitcoin and Ether's Options Contracts Combined Expiry Could Spike Volatility
    01:11
    How Bitcoin and Ether's Options Contracts Combined Expiry Could Spike Volatility
  • Grant Thornton said the "sheer volume" of emails means it is informing users about the portal in batches throughout the week.

    Around 960,000 former Cryptopia users are being informed, and those registering are being asked to confirm some account details to ensure only verified users of the exchange make claims. As previously reported, Grant Thornton said the steps are necessary to ensure the repatriation of assets complies with New Zealand law.

    In April 2020, a ruling by the High Court in Christchurch said customers were entitled to the assets they held in Cryptopia accounts, determining those assets are classed as "property."

    In turn, that ruling paved the way for Grant Thornton to initiative the claims. "This marks the launch of the Cryptopia claims portal to start the process of returning account holders' property," the liquidator's post reads.

    At the time of liquidation, Cryptopia had US$100 million in cryptocurrencies. It's not clear what percentage of their original holdings users are likely to receive via their claims. As well as the large number of account holders, 37 creditors, 90 shareholders and New Zealand's tax agency are also seeking a good portion of the company's remaining assets.

    Disclosure

    Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

    CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.


    Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.