Celsius Enlists Advisers for Potential Bankruptcy, According to WSJ Report

Per the lending platform’s terms of use, clients are not guaranteed the return of their funds if Celsius declares bankruptcy

article-image

Source: Shutterstock

share

key takeaways

  • Celsius has hired restructuring consultants from advisory firm Alvarez & Marsal, according to the WSJ
  • The last public communication from the Celsius team came via blog post on June 19, one week after it announced the halt

Celsius has hired restructuring consultants in preparation for a potential bankruptcy filing, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. 

The crypto lending firm — which earlier this month halted withdrawals, swaps and transfers — has reportedly hired three consultants from advisory firm Alvarez & Marsal. 

If the lending firm declares bankruptcy, there is no guarantee customers will be able to recover any funds held on the platform. 

“In the event that Celsius becomes bankrupt, enters liquidation or is otherwise unable to repay its obligations, you may not be able to recover or regain ownership of such Digital Assets,” Celsius’s terms of use state.

The last public communication from the Celsius team came via blog post on June 19, one week after the halt. 

“As has been a priority since our company’s inception, we maintain an open dialogue with regulators and officials,” the post read. “We plan to continue working with regulators and officials regarding this pause and our company’s determination to find a resolution.” 

The post did not address the potential for bankruptcy or the status of consumer funds. 

The lender initially halted withdrawals, swaps and transfers in an attempt to “stabilize our liquidity and operations,” amid volatile market conditions, the company said. Celsius has also paused its weekly question and answer sessions with the community until further notice. 

Celsius did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


Start your day with top crypto insights from David Canellis and Katherine Ross. Subscribe to the Empire newsletter.

Explore the growing intersection between crypto, macroeconomics, policy and finance with Ben Strack, Casey Wagner and Felix Jauvin. Subscribe to the Forward Guidance newsletter.

Get alpha directly in your inbox with the 0xResearch newsletter — market highlights, charts, degen trade ideas, governance updates, and more.

The Lightspeed newsletter is all things Solana, in your inbox, every day. Subscribe to daily Solana news from Jack Kubinec and Jeff Albus.

Tags

Upcoming Events

Javits Center North | 445 11th Ave

Tues - Thurs, March 18 - 20, 2025

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

Brooklyn, NY

TUES - THURS, JUNE 24 - 26, 2025

Permissionless IV serves as the definitive gathering for crypto’s technical founders, developers, and builders to come together and create the future.If you’re ready to shape the future of crypto, Permissionless IV is where it happens.

Old Billingsgate

Mon - Wed, October 13 - 15, 2025

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

recent research

Research Report Templates.jpg

Research

The L2 ecosystem has evolved into a complex landscape, with over $17B in market value and $50B in secured assets. While traditionally seen as high-beta plays on Ethereum, no L2 token achieved a beta higher than 1.0 relative to ETH in 2024. Furthermore, token dilution significantly impacted the sector, with a 1% increase in circulating supply corresponding to a 1.4% decrease in returns.

Key figures including Vitalik Buterin struggle to communicate the network’s core mission in an era of memecoin-minimized attention spans

article-image

World Liberty Financial has been busy buying crypto ahead of its launch

article-image

Trump’s token is setting the “tone” for crypto, Empire co-host Santiago Santos said

article-image

A pair of fundraises by Tapestry and Oh both came with expansive ideas about the future of AI and the role of humans in it

article-image

The Calamos Bitcoin Structured Alt Protection ETF — January is set to offer “systematic risk management” across its roughly one-year outcome period

article-image

Crypto industry elites (and a journalist or two) donned black tie at the Crypto Ball Friday night