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Bitcoin Repayments: Mt Gox Starts Verifying Addresses For 200,000 BTC In Payouts

Defunct Japanese-based cryptocurrency exchange, Mt. Gox has taken the next steps toward its Bitcoin distribution process to customers who were previously affected by its 2014 hack attack. The crypto exchange has delivered mass emails to account holders as they confirm wallet addresses for individuals eligible for its repayment process. 

Mt. Gox Prepares For Bitcoin Repayments

Recently, Account holders at Mt. Gox reported in a Reddit post that they have been receiving new emails from the crypto exchange regarding an identity verification and confirmation procedure initiated by the exchange. 

Mt. Gox disclosed that it has begun confirming wallet addresses from users who had officially owned accounts at the crypto exchange and had successfully completed their identity verification processes. The crypto exchange also revealed that it would be distributing Bitcoin (BTC) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH) as part of its repayment process to account holders, with the payout ranging from 142,000 BTC to 200,000 BTC. 

Furthermore, Mt. Gox disclosed that the rehabilitation trustee has shared customer details with the custodian to facilitate the account verification process. The crypto exchange warned that customers with disabled or frozen accounts may not be eligible for the fund distribution program. 

In September 2023, Mt. Gox declared an extension of its repayment deadline from October 2023 to October 31, 2024, attributing the decision to the need for further discussions to ensure proper disbursement of funds. During December 2023, the crypto exchange encountered a slight hiccup in its payment distribution process after it announced it had unintentionally issued double payments to specific users. 

Following the error, Mt Gox urgently requested these users to return the excess funds, warning of potential legal consequences and the possibility of being excluded from the reimbursement plan scheduled later this year. 

This year marks nearly a decade since Mt. Gox suffered a hack attack resulting in the loss of a substantial 850,000 Bitcoin. Recent developments in the repayment process bring hope to former customers of the crypto exchange who were adversely affected by the cyber theft. 

Bitcoin price chart from Tradingview.com

BTC Faces $20,000 Crash If Mt. Gox Customers Commence Bitcoin Sell-Off

About 200,000 BTC presently worth over $7.7 billion, is expected to spread through multiple wallet addresses owned by Mt.Gox creditors. This raises concerns about the potential impact this Bitcoin distribution could have on the crypto market. 

Presently, Mt. Gox’s 200,000 BTC repayment amount surpasses the total value of Microstrategy and El Salvador’s Bitcoin holdings, which are among the largest in the world. 

With Bitcoin currently at $39,909, if Mt.Gox account holders receive their reimbursements and attempt a sell-off to take their profits, which have grown by a substantial 99,900%, the price of Bitcoin may dip below $20,000. This would be a monumental crash for the pioneer cryptocurrency, bringing prices back to half of their present market value. 

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Mt Gox Gets Approval To Return 141,686 To Victims Affected In 2014 Hack

Mt Gox is set to return BTC lost by victims who were affected when its platform was hacked back in 2014. The Mt Gox hack has become somewhat of a legend in the crypto space, although it is very much real. It really kickstarted the “not your keys, not your coins” school of thought after thousands lost their crypto holdings when the crypto exchange succumbed to a hack that would see it shutter its doors forever.

The Mt Gox rehab plan was established after the hack, seeking to compensate those who lost their bitcoins to the hack six years ago. The rehab plan had been pending for a while but a trustee board has recently approved the plan. This means that compensation will soon begin for the victims of the hack who will finally get at least a portion of the assets they had lost in 2014.

Related Reading | Crypto Analyst Says Bitcoin Won’t Hit $100,000 This Year, When Will It Hit?

Redistributing 141,686 BTC

The total amount of bitcoin to be redistributed in the rehab plan is 141,686. It will go to those who are confirmed to have lost their bitcoin to the exchange hack and had subsequently voted to have the rehab plan approved. The Tokyo District Court had approved the reimbursement notice after the voting period was concluded, which would see the BTC redistributed back to the victims.

BTC on a downward trend | Source: BTCUSD on TradingView.com

Users affected by the hack have waited more than six years and now it looks like there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The date of redistribution is yet to be disclosed by the parties in charge. Mindao Yang, a creditor of Mt Gox, disclosed that the victims may in fact not see their compensation until 2023. This is because creditors will have to collect their funds gradually over time.

Redistribution Plan

A factor to consider when it comes to the redistribution of the BTC is the fact that the bitcoins are now worth a lot more than they used to. When the infamous Mt Gox hack occurred, the price of bitcoin was $500-$600 on average. Today, the digital asset’s value has ballooned to over $60,000. This has led to concerns as to whether the victims will get their original BTC holdings back or be paid out in fiat.

CoinDesk addressed this in a report from May as to how the redistribution could work. Claimants had received a letter in 2020 that notified them of how their holdings would be returned. The payouts would be made in both JPY and BTC or BCH. However, it is being made with the price of bitcoin pegged to about $7,000 per coin. This is a long way from the current trading price of over $60K but it is also much higher than the average price when the hack occurred.

Impact On Bitcoin Price

With approximately 150,000 BTC set to hit the market once the redistribution begins, there have been speculations of what this might mean for the digital asset. Some have predicted that the price of bitcoin will suffer greatly once these coins hit the market. This is not entirely true.

Related Reading | There Are More People Using Bitcoin Wallets Than Bank Accounts, Says El Salvador President

There is no doubt that some of the BTC being released will hit exchanges. However, it is important to bear in mind that the payouts will not happen in one fell swoop. The redistribution will be carried out over time to various creditors. This means that all of the 141,686 bitcoins will not hit the market at the same time. Rather, only a small amount at a time will be released, which will not have much impact on the price of the digital asset.

Featured image from Forbes, chart from TradingView.com