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{"actor":"system:backfill","investigation_id":"9ae32dc4-43b9-4c9d-b5aa-2caa071a22b8","kind":"publish","page_slug":"vauld","published_at":"2026-05-30T12:57:38.873Z","sequence_num":1,"snapshot":{"content_type":"investigation","entity_name":"Vauld","sections":[{"content":"","heading":"Background and Corporate Structure","severity":"low","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"India-based Vauld raises $25 million Series A led by Valar, Pantera and Coinbase","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.bitcoininsider.org/article/121655/india-based-vauld-raises-25-million-series-led-valar-pantera-and-coinbase"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Crypto Platform Vauld Raises $25 Mn Funding Led By Valar Ventures","type":"news_article","url":"https://inc42.com/buzz/crypto-platform-vauld-raises-25-mn-funding-led-by-valar-ventures/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Vauld founders feature in Forbes Asia 30 Under 30","type":"official","url":"https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/vauld-a-leading-crypto-trading-amp-lending-platform-s-founders-feature-in-forbes-asia-30-under-30-list-854170180.html"}]},{"content":"","heading":"Platform Suspension and Disclosed Shortfall","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"Crypto lender Vauld suspends withdrawals, trading, deposits — TechCrunch","type":"news_article","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2022/07/04/crypto-lending-platform-vauld-suspends-withdrawals-trading-and-deposits-amid-financial-challenges/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Vauld issues letter to its creditors, disclosing $70 million shortfall — The Block","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/156901/vauld-letter-creditors-shortfall-70-million"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Crypto lender Vauld owes $363 million to retail investors after halting withdrawals — The Block","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/158647/crypto-lender-vauld-owes-363-million-to-retail-investors-after-halting-withdrawals"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Vauld Discloses $70 Million Asset Deficit and Seeks Repayment Moratorium — BeInCrypto","type":"news_article","url":"https://beincrypto.com/vauld-discloses-70-million-asset-deficit-seeks-repayment-moratorium/"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Another crypto lender Vauld pauses withdrawals as market crash takes its toll — CNBC","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/04/crypto-lender-vauld-halts-withdrawals-as-market-crash-takes-its-toll-.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Embattled Crypto Lender Vauld Owes Over $400 Million to Creditors — Decrypt","type":"news_article","url":"https://decrypt.co/105633/embattled-crypto-lender-vauld-owes-over-400-million-to-creditors-report"}]},{"content":"","heading":"Contributing Factors: Terra/Luna, Three Arrows Capital, FTX, and Amber Group","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Behind The Fall Of Coinbase-Backed Crypto Lending Platform Vauld — Inc42","type":"news_article","url":"https://inc42.com/features/behind-the-fall-of-coinbase-backed-crypto-lending-platform-vauld/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Amber Group owes troubled crypto lender Vauld's CEO $130 million — The Block","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/193616/amber-group-vauld-ceo-counterparty1-a-130-million"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Troubled crypto lender Vauld has $10 million stuck on FTX — The Block","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/188021/troubled-crypto-lender-vauld-has-10-million-stuck-on-ftx-source"},{"credibility":3,"name":"Vauld Collapse: Anatomy of India's Largest CeFi Lending Failure — ZD Visor","type":"research","url":"https://www.zdvisor.com/post/vauld-collapse-anatomy-of-india-s-largest-cefi-lending-failure-case-study"}]},{"content":"","heading":"Nexo Acquisition Attempt and Failure","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Vauld nixes potential acquisition by industry rival Nexo — CoinGeek","type":"news_article","url":"https://coingeek.com/vauld-nixes-potential-acquisition-by-industry-rival-nexo/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Nexo terminates potential deal with troubled crypto lender Vauld — The Block","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/197894/nexo-vauld-deal-terminated"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Troubled Crypto Lender Vauld Calls Off Acquisition by Nexo — Finance Magnates","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/troubled-crypto-lender-vauld-calls-off-acquisition-by-nexo/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Vauld Creditor Protection Extended by Singapore Court After Nexo Deal Falls Through — BeInCrypto","type":"news_article","url":"https://beincrypto.com/vauld-creditor-protection-extended-singapore-court-nexo-deal-falls-through/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Updates On Nexo Acquisition As of 6-Sep-22 — Vauld Help Center","type":"official","url":"https://support.vauld.com/en/articles/6538422-updates-on-nexo-acquisition-as-of-6-sep-22"}]},{"content":"","heading":"India Enforcement Directorate Asset Freeze","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Enforcement Directorate Freezes Crypto Platform Vauld's Assets Worth Nearly Rs. 370 Crore — NewsLocker/Gadgets","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.newslocker.com/en-us/news/gadgets/enforcement-directorate-freezes-crypto-platform-vaulds-assets-worth-nearly-rs-370-crore-details/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ED froze Rs 370 crore assets of Vauld — Varindia","type":"news_article","url":"https://varindia.com/news/ed-froze-rs-370-crore-assets-of-vauld"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ED freeze on Rs 370 cr bank assets 'unfortunate': Crypto firm Vauld — Siasat Daily","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.siasat.com/ed-freeze-on-rs-370-cr-bank-assets-unfortunate-crypto-firm-vauld-2389661/"}]},{"content":"","heading":"Singapore Court Proceedings and Scheme of Arrangement","severity":"medium","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Kroll facilitates successful approval of Scheme of Arrangement for Vauld — Kroll","type":"official","url":"https://www.kroll.com/en/about-us/news/kroll-facilitates-successful-approval-of-scheme-of-arrangement-for-vauld"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Scheme Effective Date 16 Aug 2023 — Vauld Help Center","type":"official","url":"https://support.vauld.com/en/articles/8262950-corporate-announcement-scheme-effective-date-16-aug-2023"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Crypto Lender Vauld Gets Further Extension for Restructuring Plan — CoinDesk","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/business/2023/02/27/crypto-lender-vauld-gets-further-extension-for-restructuring-plan"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Singapore Extends the Period of Creditor Protection for Crypto's Vauld — Bloomberg","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-17/ailing-singapore-crypto-firm-vauld-gets-more-time-to-restructure"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Vauld gets yet another creditor protection extension until April 28 — The Block","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/222930/vauld-creditor-protection-extension-fifth"}]},{"content":"","heading":"Governance and Risk Management Concerns","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Amber Group owes troubled crypto lender Vauld's CEO $130 million — The Block","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/193616/amber-group-vauld-ceo-counterparty1-a-130-million"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Behind The Fall Of Coinbase-Backed Crypto Lending Platform Vauld — Inc42","type":"news_article","url":"https://inc42.com/features/behind-the-fall-of-coinbase-backed-crypto-lending-platform-vauld/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Lending Platform Vauld Looks to Restructure Amid Crypto Downturn — CoinDesk","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/business/2022/07/04/lending-platform-vauld-looks-to-restructure-amid-crypto-downturn-suspends-transactions"}]}],"sources_used":[{"credibility":1,"name":"Crypto lender Vauld suspends withdrawals, trading, deposits — TechCrunch","type":"news_article","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2022/07/04/crypto-lending-platform-vauld-suspends-withdrawals-trading-and-deposits-amid-financial-challenges/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Vauld issues letter to creditors, disclosing $70 million shortfall — The Block","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/156901/vauld-letter-creditors-shortfall-70-million"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Crypto lender Vauld owes $363 million to retail investors — The Block","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/158647/crypto-lender-vauld-owes-363-million-to-retail-investors-after-halting-withdrawals"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Vauld Discloses $70 Million Asset Deficit — BeInCrypto","type":"news_article","url":"https://beincrypto.com/vauld-discloses-70-million-asset-deficit-seeks-repayment-moratorium/"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Another crypto lender Vauld pauses withdrawals — CNBC","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/04/crypto-lender-vauld-halts-withdrawals-as-market-crash-takes-its-toll-.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Embattled Crypto Lender Vauld Owes Over $400 Million to Creditors — Decrypt","type":"news_article","url":"https://decrypt.co/105633/embattled-crypto-lender-vauld-owes-over-400-million-to-creditors-report"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Behind The Fall Of Coinbase-Backed Crypto Lending Platform Vauld — Inc42","type":"news_article","url":"https://inc42.com/features/behind-the-fall-of-coinbase-backed-crypto-lending-platform-vauld/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Amber Group owes Vauld's CEO $130 million — The Block","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/193616/amber-group-vauld-ceo-counterparty1-a-130-million"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Troubled crypto lender Vauld has $10 million stuck on FTX — The Block","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/188021/troubled-crypto-lender-vauld-has-10-million-stuck-on-ftx-source"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Vauld nixes potential acquisition by Nexo — CoinGeek","type":"news_article","url":"https://coingeek.com/vauld-nixes-potential-acquisition-by-industry-rival-nexo/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Nexo terminates potential deal with Vauld — The Block","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/197894/nexo-vauld-deal-terminated"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Troubled Crypto Lender Vauld Calls Off Acquisition by Nexo — Finance Magnates","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/troubled-crypto-lender-vauld-calls-off-acquisition-by-nexo/"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Singapore Extends Creditor Protection for Vauld — Bloomberg","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-17/ailing-singapore-crypto-firm-vauld-gets-more-time-to-restructure"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Kroll facilitates successful approval of Scheme of Arrangement for Vauld — Kroll","type":"official","url":"https://www.kroll.com/en/about-us/news/kroll-facilitates-successful-approval-of-scheme-of-arrangement-for-vauld"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Scheme Effective Date 16 Aug 2023 — Vauld Help Center","type":"official","url":"https://support.vauld.com/en/articles/8262950-corporate-announcement-scheme-effective-date-16-aug-2023"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ED froze Rs 370 crore assets of Vauld — Varindia","type":"news_article","url":"https://varindia.com/news/ed-froze-rs-370-crore-assets-of-vauld"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ED freeze on Rs 370 cr bank assets 'unfortunate': Vauld — Siasat","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.siasat.com/ed-freeze-on-rs-370-cr-bank-assets-unfortunate-crypto-firm-vauld-2389661/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"India-based Vauld raises $25 million Series A — Bitcoin Insider","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.bitcoininsider.org/article/121655/india-based-vauld-raises-25-million-series-led-valar-pantera-and-coinbase"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Vauld gets yet another creditor protection extension — The Block","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/222930/vauld-creditor-protection-extension-fifth"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Lending Platform Vauld Looks to Restructure — CoinDesk","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/business/2022/07/04/lending-platform-vauld-looks-to-restructure-amid-crypto-downturn-suspends-transactions"}],"summary":"Vauld was a Singapore-headquartered crypto lending and exchange platform founded in 2018 by Darshan Bathija and Sanju Kurian, backed by Coinbase Ventures, Valar Ventures (Peter Thiel), and Pantera Capital. On July 4, 2022, Vauld suspended all withdrawals, deposits, and trading after disclosing a $70 million asset deficit, freezing approximately $330 million in customer funds belonging to roughly 150,000 retail creditors. Following the collapse of an attempted acquisition by Nexo, Vauld's Singapore parent entity DeFi Payments Pte Ltd successfully completed a court-sanctioned Scheme of Arrangement in August 2023 projecting recoveries of up to 93% on unsecured creditor claims.","timeline":[{"date":"2018-01-01","event":"Darshan Bathija and Sanju Kurian found 'The Bank of HODLers' in Singapore, later renamed Vauld.","source":"Inc42 / StartupTalky","source_url":"https://inc42.com/features/behind-the-fall-of-coinbase-backed-crypto-lending-platform-vauld/"},{"date":"2020-01-01","event":"Bank of HODLers rebrands to Vauld.","source":"Pine and Hicks / CryptoMarketGraph","source_url":"https://pineandhicks.com/2021/11/16/vauld-evaluation-retail-crypto-banking-and-investing-platform-from-india/"},{"date":"2021-07-01","event":"Vauld raises $25 million Series A led by Valar Ventures, with participation from Pantera Capital and Coinbase Ventures.","source":"Bitcoin Insider / Inc42","source_url":"https://www.bitcoininsider.org/article/121655/india-based-vauld-raises-25-million-series-led-valar-pantera-and-coinbase"},{"date":"2022-04-01","event":"India introduces a 30% tax on crypto gains, materially reducing Vauld's domestic trading volumes and fee income.","source":"Inc42 feature","source_url":"https://inc42.com/features/behind-the-fall-of-coinbase-backed-crypto-lending-platform-vauld/"},{"date":"2022-05-09","event":"TerraUSD (UST) algorithmic stablecoin collapses, triggering a market-wide liquidity crisis and losses across Vauld's portfolio.","source":"ZD Visor case study","source_url":"https://www.zdvisor.com/post/vauld-collapse-anatomy-of-india-s-largest-cefi-lending-failure-case-study"},{"date":"2022-06-12","event":"Customer withdrawal acceleration begins; Vauld will see approximately $198 million withdrawn before suspension.","source":"TechCrunch","source_url":"https://techcrunch.com/2022/07/04/crypto-lending-platform-vauld-suspends-withdrawals-trading-and-deposits-amid-financial-challenges/"},{"date":"2022-06-16","event":"CEO Darshan Bathija publicly assures customers Vauld has no exposure to Celsius or Three Arrows Capital; the claim is later contradicted by court affidavits.","source":"Inc42 feature","source_url":"https://inc42.com/features/behind-the-fall-of-coinbase-backed-crypto-lending-platform-vauld/"},{"date":"2022-07-04","event":"Vauld suspends all withdrawals, deposits, and trading with immediate effect.","source":"TechCrunch / CNBC / CoinDesk","source_url":"https://techcrunch.com/2022/07/04/crypto-lending-platform-vauld-suspends-withdrawals-trading-and-deposits-amid-financial-challenges/"},{"date":"2022-07-05","event":"Nexo signs a term sheet with Vauld granting a 60-day exclusive due diligence period for a potential acquisition.","source":"BeInCrypto / The Block","source_url":"https://beincrypto.com/vauld-discloses-70-million-asset-deficit-seeks-repayment-moratorium/"},{"date":"2022-07-08","event":"DeFi Payments Pte Ltd (Vauld's Singapore parent) files for a moratorium under Section 64 of Singapore's Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018.","source":"BeInCrypto","source_url":"https://beincrypto.com/vauld-discloses-70-million-asset-deficit-seeks-repayment-moratorium/"},{"date":"2022-07-11","event":"Vauld issues a letter to creditors disclosing a $70 million asset deficit: $330 million in assets against $400 million in liabilities.","source":"The Block","source_url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/156901/vauld-letter-creditors-shortfall-70-million"},{"date":"2022-08-01","event":"India's Enforcement Directorate freezes approximately Rs. 370 crore (~$46 million) in assets linked to Vauld's Indian operating entity in connection with a money laundering investigation.","source":"NewsLocker / Varindia / Siasat","source_url":"https://varindia.com/news/ed-froze-rs-370-crore-assets-of-vauld"},{"date":"2022-11-01","event":"Vauld discloses approximately $10 million in assets frozen on the collapsed FTX exchange.","source":"The Block","source_url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/188021/troubled-crypto-lender-vauld-has-10-million-stuck-on-ftx-source"},{"date":"2022-11-01","event":"The Block reports Amber Group (identified as 'Counterparty 1') owes approximately $130 million to Vauld's CEO Bathija, who had placed Vauld funds in his personal name.","source":"The Block","source_url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/193616/amber-group-vauld-ceo-counterparty1-a-130-million"},{"date":"2022-12-01","event":"Vauld rejects Nexo's final acquisition proposal, citing lack of due diligence transparency, Nexo's US exit, and absence of an early-exit RDA mechanism for creditors.","source":"Finance Magnates / CoinGeek","source_url":"https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/troubled-crypto-lender-vauld-calls-off-acquisition-by-nexo/"},{"date":"2023-01-01","event":"Nexo formally terminates the Vauld acquisition deal, ending approximately six months of negotiations.","source":"The Block","source_url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/197894/nexo-vauld-deal-terminated"},{"date":"2023-01-17","event":"Singapore High Court grants Vauld an extended creditor protection period following the Nexo deal collapse.","source":"Bloomberg","source_url":"https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-17/ailing-singapore-crypto-firm-vauld-gets-more-time-to-restructure"},{"date":"2023-08-10","event":"Singapore High Court sanctions Vauld's Scheme of Arrangement under Section 210 of the Companies Act, receiving more than 90% creditor support.","source":"Kroll","source_url":"https://www.kroll.com/en/about-us/news/kroll-facilitates-successful-approval-of-scheme-of-arrangement-for-vauld"},{"date":"2023-08-16","event":"Vauld's Scheme of Arrangement becomes effective. First distributions of 36% of unsecured claims scheduled for October 2023.","source":"Vauld Help Center","source_url":"https://support.vauld.com/en/articles/8262950-corporate-announcement-scheme-effective-date-16-aug-2023"}]},"v":1}