Core Scientific, one of the largest US publicly traded crypto mining companies, has received court approval to exit bankruptcy, marking a turnaround for the company.
Judge Christopher Lopez confirmed the firm’s Chapter 11 exit plan, which is set to reduce its debt by approximately $400 million and fully repay its creditors. This positive development is largely attributed to the recent upswing in Bitcoin prices over the past year.
The approval from the Southern District of Texas bankruptcy court allows Core Scientific to move forward with its reorganization plans. The company anticipates that its shares will be re-listed on the Nasdaq by January 24, a major step in its path to recovery.
Under the approved reorganization plan, Core Scientific will settle its existing debts in full, and existing shareholders are expected to receive about 60% of the equity in the newly restructured company. This plan follows the closure of a proposed $55 million equity rights offering earlier in the month, one of the last steps required for the miner to complete its reorganization.
“Today’s plan confirmation is a defining moment in our reorganization; we’re poised to emerge by the end of this month as an even stronger company, with a highly motivated team that is aligned for success,” said Core CEO Adam Sullivan in the statement.
Core Scientific’s journey through bankruptcy reflects the broader challenges faced by the crypto mining industry, particularly during the “crypto winter.” At the height of the crypto boom in 2021, when Bitcoin’s value soared above $67,000, Core Scientific was the largest publicly traded Bitcoin miner by computing power. However, the dramatic fall in Bitcoin’s price to around $16,000 by December 2022, when the company filed for Chapter 11, reflected the volatility of the market and the pressures on crypto miners.
The broader crypto sector experienced massive losses last year, with over a trillion dollars in value wiped out. This downturn saw the collapse of major entities like crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital and Voyager. The bankruptcy of FTX, once the world’s second largest crypto exchange, in November 2022 further intensified regulatory scrutiny of the crypto industry.
The firm’s exit from bankruptcy coincides with a renewed surge in Bitcoin’s price, now around $43,000. This increase has been spurred by factors such as the approval of spot bitcoin ETFs in the U.S. and anticipation surrounding the upcoming Bitcoin halving event.
