Cryptocurrency
FTX Issues Clarification on Backpack’s Acquisition and Fund Repayment Claims
Bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX has responded to recent claims by Backpack regarding the acquisition of its European arm, FTX EU, and the repayment of customer funds.
In a statement released on January 8, the failed crypto firm clarified that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court has not approved the sale of FTX EU to Backpack, nor has it been authorized to manage fund distributions to creditors.
Misleading Statement
On January 7, global crypto-trading platform Backpack announced through social media that it had acquired FTX EU and would handle creditor repayments for European customers as part of a court-approved bankruptcy process. Further, founder Armani Ferrante emphasized that the firm was committed to working with all relevant parties to prioritize the return of customer funds in the bloc.
With a presence in over 150 countries, the exchange also claimed that the acquisition had received approval from the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) with plans to expand through crypto derivative services such as spot, margin, and futures trading across the EU.
However, FTX denied these claims, stating that Backpack’s press release and related website contained multiple potentially misleading information. It clarified that its subsidiary, FTX Europe AG, still holds 100% of the share capital of FTX EU.
The company also said that although a prior agreement was made under court supervision to transfer FTX EU shares to former insiders of FTX Europe, this transfer has not yet occurred. It claimed that the indirect transfer of the former to Backpack, arranged by these insiders, was done without its knowledge or the court’s approval.
Backpack Has No Role in Fund Redistribution
Further, the statement stressed that Backpack has no authorization to make distributions to any creditors or customers, including former European clients. The defunct exchange reiterated that FTX EU itself remains solely responsible for returning funds to its customers.
“FTX will not be responsible for the repayment of any funds owed by FTX EU to its former customers and expressly disclaims any responsibility for such repayment by FTX EU,” read the disclosure.
It also explained that the amounts owed by its subsidiary to its customers have also not been determined by the relevant entities.
In a related update, the outfit confirmed the effectiveness of its Chapter 11 plan of reorganization on January 3, 2025, with an initial distribution record date set for the same day. Pending regulatory compliance, distributions to convenience class claimants are expected within 60 days.
Elsewhere, on January 2, another troubled crypto firm, Celsius, filed an appeal challenging a previous ruling that had dismissed its $444 million claim against FTX. The defunct crypto lender had claimed that FTX officials had undermined its reputation, making “unsubstantiated and disparaging statements” that contributed to its downfall in 2022, asking for up to $2 billion in damages.
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Cryptocurrency
Immerso and Everdome Partner to Drive Innovation in the Metaverse Through AI-Powered Experiences
[PRESS RELEASE – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, February 5th, 2025]
Immerso, an Eros Innovation company- home to Eros Media and Eros Now, and a global leader in AI innovation and intellectual property (IP), has joined forces with Everdome, pioneers in creating interactive metaverse experiences, to revolutionize digital entertainment.
The partnership combines Immerso’s exceptional IP portfolio, featuring an extensive library of over 12,000 film titles, with Everdome’s immersive technology. Together, they aim to transform how audiences engage with entertainment in the digital era.
Backed by Eros Innovation, Immerso brings unparalleled resources to the table. Eros Media World boasts a 30% market share in the Indian film industry, selling 2.7 billion tickets annually and reaching a global audience in the billions. This partnership unlocks the potential to become the world’s largest film market for metaverse engagement.
Jeremy Lopez, CEO of Everdome, commented, “This partnership propels Everdome’s vision to merge the metaverse with AI tools and intellectual property, setting the stage for the creation of interactive, metaverse-native IP experiences for brands on a global scale. With nearly 50 years of Bollywood history under their belt and a strong commitment to the metaverse and immersive computing, Immerso is the perfect partner as Everdome steps into its next chapter.”
Swaneet Singh, CEO of Immerso added, “We firmly believe in the transformative potential of virtual experiences and Web3 in reshaping the way users connect. By combining immersive experiences with AI-powered hybrid content and user-generated creation, we’re opening up new possibilities – and we are thrilled to be at the forefront of this innovation alongside Everdome.’’
Immerso is uniquely positioned to lead large-scale innovation in AI, entertainment, and the metaverse. As one of the first AI Intellectual Property (AIIP) companies, Immerso owns over a trillion AI tokens and has trained models across all LLM platforms. This foundation, coupled with initiatives such as establishing India’s first AI Park and a billion-dollar investment in a Malaysian AI park and film studio, showcases Immerso’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of digital experiences
Everdome, recognized for its expertise in creating immersive and accessible digital experiences, is dedicated to bringing real use cases and larger audiences to the metaverse. With a proven track record of collaborations with global brands like the Alpine Web3, and Binance Fan Token Everdome is well-versed in bringing established IPs to life in new and engaging ways.
With an initial focus on integrating Indian cinema’s vast library of films, stars, directors, and influencers into immersive virtual worlds, together, Immerso and Everdome will offer audiences entirely new ways to connect with entertainment.
This collaboration marks a significant step toward a future where AI, IP, and immersive technology converge to transform how the world interacts with storytelling and creativity. It sets a new standard for connectivity and engagement in the metaverse and establishes a framework for a thriving creator economy. Immerso and Everdome will offer audiences entirely new ways to connect with entertainment.
The future of the metaverse is driven by collaboration, and this partnership unlocks the potential to become one of the world’s largest film markets for metaverse engagement, revolutionizing how users view, engage with, and interact with traditional media in an immersive digital world.
#ImagineTheMetaverseDifferently
About Immerso AIIP Limited
Immerso AIIP Limited is a global leader in the media and entertainment industry. With a rich history dating back to 1977, the company has consistently pushed the boundaries of innovation and creativity.
Immerso AIIP owns a vast library of over 12,000 film titles, commanding a 30% market share over the past two decades. This extensive catalogue forms the foundation for Eros Now, the company’s streaming platform with an impressive 250 million registered users.
Recognizing the transformative power of artificial intelligence, Immerso is focused on pioneering the development of AI-driven content creation tools. Immerso has amassed over a trillion AI tokens, used to train sophisticated language models (SLM and LLM) that empower creators to build the next generation of immersive experiences.
Immerso AIIP is committed to fostering a thriving creator economy on Web 3, leveraging its vast IP library and AI capabilities to unlock new possibilities for content creation and distribution.
About Everdome
Everdome builds future themed metaverse experiences to provide creators, brands, individuals and businesses with immersive, interactive spaces to collaborate on the creation and enjoyment of shared digital experiences.
Launched in 2022, Everdome uses blockchain, advanced real-time 3D creation tools such as UE5, spatial computing and cryptocurrency to build, run and fuel their project, creating a platform to combine metaverse-on-demand tooling with engaging features and high quality environments.
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Cryptocurrency
Ethereum Price Crash? Analyst Predicts Possible 50% Drop
TL;DR
- Ethereum’s price struggles below $2,800, with some analysts warning of a potential drop to $1,200 if key support fails.
- Others, including Michael van de Poppe, remain optimistic, citing Trump-linked investments as a bullish indicator.
ETH Bulls to Suffer More Pain?
Ethereum (ETH) – the second-largest cryptocurrency in terms of market capitalization – is among the very few leading digital assets that have not charted impressive gains during the bull cycle in the past several months. It currently trades at less than $2,800, representing a 24% decline on a 30-day scale.
And while many industry participants believe the asset has yet to catch up with Bitcoin (BTC) and the rest of the market, some are quite pessimistic. The popular X user Nebrascangooner recently claimed that the “potential cup and handle pattern” witnessed on ETH’s price chart is no longer valid.
The analyst suggested that the valuation formed a double top in the past year, envisioning a collapse to as low as $1,200 if it loses the $2,400 support.
“No breakdown currently, though, and it’s sideways in a large consolidation,” they added.
The Bullish Scenario
As mentioned above, the majority of analysts on X remain optimistic that ETH will hit a new all-time high in the following months. The one using the X moniker MANDO CT thinks the long-awaited rally of the asset “is about to happen,” setting a target of $10,000 per coin.
Michael van de Poppe also chipped in, saying that if Donald Trump “bets massively on ETH, it’s almost foolish not to follow that route at these valuations.”
To the uninitiated ones, World Liberty Financial (WLF) – a DeFi project linked to Donald Trump and his family – has recently made significant investments in Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies. Additionally, Eric Trump, the son of the American president, claimed that now is “a great time to add ETH.”
Some key on-chain metrics also signal that the price of the asset might be on the verge of a rally. According to CryptoQuant, ETH’s exchange netflow has been negative in the past three days. This suggests a potential shift from centralized platforms toward self-custody methods, which in turn reduces the immediate selling pressure.
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Cryptocurrency
Bitcoin Price Struggles Below $100K but These Altcoins Outperform (Market Watch)
The most recent price action of Bitcoin and the broader cryptocurrency markets reflects the disappointment in the most recent press conference held by the crypto and AI czar in the US – David Sacks. Markets are shaky and unconvincing, clearly suggesting that investors were expecting something more.
Bitcoin Price Struggles Below $100K
After recovering above the pivotal psychological and, to some extent – technical level of $100,000, Bitcoin’s price tumbled yesterday. The buyers were unable to defend this point, allowing the bears to take control and push it down to where it currently trades below $98,000. This reflects a decrease of around 1.4% over the past 24 hours.
That said, there’s a clear reason for the decline. The drop coincided with the press conference held by the US crypto and AI czar under Trump’s administration – David Sacks. Speaking for the first time since he was elected, Sacks shed some light on their future plans concerning crypto, and it appears that investors were disappointed. Many expected the confirmation of a Bitcoin-only strategic reserve, while the politicians said they are currently exploring both options – a single-asset reserve and a “digital asset” stockpile- as President Trump has tasked them to explore the feasibility of both.
Moreover, Sacks said their very first priority would be on regulating stablecoins and that he expects laws to pass Congress in six months.
Politics aside, Bitcoin’s dominance – the metric used to gauge its share relative to that of the rest of the market – is currently at a 4-year high, standing tall at 58%.
Some Altcoins Soar
Building on the above, the fact that Bitcoin’s dominance is that high simply means that altcoins are failing to keep up. This can be clearly observed in their weekly performance.
While Bitcoin is down 4.2% on the week, Ethereum is down by 11%, XRP – by 18%, Solana – by 11%, BNB – 14%, DOGE – by 19%, and so forth – you get the gist.
Of course, this doesn’t mean there are no exceptions. On a daily basis, TRUMP – the official token launched by the US President – soared by 10% today, while AAVE, ARB, and SUI are all charting gains of around 5-6%.
Meanwhile, on a weekly scale, Mantra (OM) is up by 26%, while Hyperliquid’s HYPE is up by about 13%.
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