Why The FTX Collapse Shook The Bahamas

It’s been three months since one of the most influential crypto exchanges collapsed into bankruptcy. FTX’s demise brought with it a wave of financial uncertainty and distress in the crypto industry. But it also had an effect on the small islands where the crypto exchange had established its headquarters: the island nation of the Bahamas.

This is not the Caribbean’s first financial crisis. History suggests it won’t be the last. But it is perhaps one of the highest profile losses, and potentially the most damaging. It comes as islands in the region try to diversify away from tourism revenue. 

The Bahamas had high hopes that an ambitious financial sector would achieve that. But crypto was a big part of that game plan, and now it’s gone.

Can the Bahamas fill the gap left in its financial sector? Can the nation still be a hub for digital assets? Bloomberg’s Katanga Johnson joins this episode.

Subscribe to the Bloomberg Crypto Newsletter at https://bloom.bg/cryptonewsletter 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.