Yuga Labs NFT Royalty Sent To FTX US Address, What Is Happening?

Yuga Labs transfers royalties to a bankrupt FTX US wallet, facing unclear legal outcomes amid ongoing bankruptcy.
By Maxwell Mutuma
Apecoin BAYC

Highlights

  • Yuga Labs has transferred over $250,000 in royalties to a wallet associated with bankrupt FTX US in the past two months.
  • The payments, termed 'creator payouts,' were initially mandatory on platforms trading Yuga Labs' NFTs but have now been made optional.
  • Despite controversies, the Bored Ape Yacht Club maintains a strong market presence with a floor price of $38,984 and significant trading activity.

According to blockchain intelligence firms Arkham Intelligence and Breadcrumbs, Yuga Labs, creators of the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), has been transferring royalties to a wallet connected to FTX US, which is now bankrupt. For the last two months, Yuga Labs have been flowing more than $250,000 worth of assets to the wallet address 0xAAe7aC476b117bcCAfE2f05F582906be44bc8FF1 that has been linked to FTX US. These transfers are ongoing as FTX US is going through its bankruptcy phase after its fall in November 2022.

Termed ‘creator payouts’ are a percentage of NFT sales revenues that sellers remit back to the creators. In the beginning, Yuga Labs forced such payments on the platforms trading their NFTs, but recently, this company has made these transactions voluntary. This modification results from the conflicts between several NFT marketplaces on the issue of royalty policies.

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Yuga Labs Silent on FTX Fund Recovery

The consequences of these continuous transfers for Yuga Labs in the FTX bankruptcy case are not clear. Legal analysts speculate that Yuga Labs could find hurdles in asserting allegations as a result of such continuing deposits into FTX US-managed wallets. With FTX US being connected to the legal problems that its ex-CEO Sam Bankman-Fried is facing, as well as its bankruptcy process, this becomes a more complicated situation.

The public has not heard from Yuga Labs concerning the management and recovery of these funds in the wake of the legal battles. The blockchain community and investors are closely monitoring these developments concerning the potential effects that could be brought on Yuga Labs’ financial strategies and position in the whole NFT market.

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Bored Ape NFTs Hold Strong Market Value

While these events are taking place, the market value of Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs is strong, with a floor price of $38,984 and a total market capitalization approaching $390 million. Even though BAYC is currently the subject of controversy, significant trading activity still takes place, with the last 24-hour volume standing at 698.15 ETH. The collection’s continued market interest evidences its strength in a volatile market.

At the same time, the litigation story behind FTX US kept going when Sam Bankman-Fried, its ex-CEO, appealed the 25-year imprisonment sentence pronounced on March 28, 2024. This conviction on a number of fraud and conspiracy counts represents a turning point in the world of cryptocurrency regulation and prosecution.

Read Also: Reddit Co-Founder Alexis Ohanian Sees AI and Blockchain Collision

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Maxwell Mutuma
Maxwell is a crypto-economic analyst and Blockchain enthusiast, passionate about helping people understand the potential of decentralized technology. I write extensively on topics such as blockchain, cryptocurrency, tokens, and more for many publications. My goal is to spread knowledge about this revolutionary technology and its implications for economic freedom and social good.
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