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.


Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:

Tags

Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily, with Byron Gilliam.

Upcoming Events

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.

Industry City | 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.

Brooklyn, NY

SUN - MON, JUN. 22 - 23, 2025

Blockworks and Cracked Labs are teaming up for the third installment of the Permissionless Hackathon, happening June 22–23, 2025 in Brooklyn, NY. This is a 36-hour IRL builder sprint where developers, designers, and creatives ship real projects solving real problems across […]

recent research

Research Report Templates.png

Research

Maple Finance has successfully navigated significant market challenges through its strategic pivot to secured lending (Maple v2) and the launch of its Syrup product. Syrup has become a primary growth driver, delivering sustainable, outperforming stablecoin yields and rapidly increasing TVL. The upcoming custody-first Bitcoin staking product (istBTC) presents another significant avenue for expansion. Crucially, Maple has achieved operational profitability, a key inflection point that, combined with a fully vested token and active buyback mechanism, strengthens its investment case. While valuation metrics suggest potential undervaluation relative to peers and growth, the primary forward-looking risk identified is the long-term sustainability of its current high-take-rate collateral staking revenue model.

article-image

In 2014, Microsoft virus scanners were detecting viruses in Bitcoin software

article-image

Ledn’s Mauricio Di Bartolomeo explained how this cycle’s been different for the lender

article-image

The shorts looking for funding range from charming animated series to gritty live-action dramas

article-image

Money, it turns out, is emergent, like consciousness

article-image

Bridge flows churn in both directions as risk appetite returns