Gerry Cotten's Death

Gerry Cotten, the founder and CEO of QuadrigaCX, a Canadian cryptocurrency exchange, passed away on December 9, 2018, at the age of 30. He died while traveling in India due to complications from Crohn's disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel condition.
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Cotten's death had a significant impact on the cryptocurrency industry. QuadrigaCX was one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in Canada, and its collapse following Cotten's death left many customers unable to access their funds.
QuadrigaCX's Collapse
After Cotten's death, QuadrigaCX was unable to access its cold storage wallets, where the majority of its customers' funds were stored. The company claimed that Cotten was the only person who knew the passwords to these wallets, and his death effectively locked away millions of dollars in cryptocurrency.
QuadrigaCX filed for creditor protection in January 2019, and its assets were later sold to a consortium of investors. However, the company's customers have yet to be fully compensated for their losses.
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Impact on the Cryptocurrency Industry
Cotten's death and the subsequent collapse of QuadrigaCX raised concerns about the security of cryptocurrency exchanges and the need for better regulation. It also highlighted the importance of having robust succession plans in place to ensure the continuity of businesses in the event of unexpected events.
QuadrigaCX: Gerry Cotten

QuadrigaCX was a Canadian cryptocurrency exchange founded in 2013. It was one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world, with over $250 million in daily trading volume at its peak.
QuadrigaCX was founded by Gerry Cotten, a Canadian entrepreneur who had previously worked as a software developer. Cotten was the sole owner and operator of QuadrigaCX, and he was responsible for all aspects of the exchange's operations, including its trading platform, customer service, and security.
Gerry Cotten's Role in QuadrigaCX
Gerry Cotten was the founder, CEO, and sole owner of QuadrigaCX. He was responsible for all aspects of the exchange's operations, including its trading platform, customer service, and security.
Cotten was a highly secretive individual, and he rarely gave interviews or spoke publicly about QuadrigaCX. He was also known for his eccentric behavior, and he was often seen wearing a t-shirt and shorts, even in the middle of winter.
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Missing Cryptocurrency
After Gerry Cotten's untimely demise, a staggering amount of cryptocurrency vanished from QuadrigaCX, leaving behind a trail of speculation and uncertainty.
The exact amount and types of cryptocurrency that went missing remain a subject of debate. QuadrigaCX claimed that approximately $190 million worth of cryptocurrency was lost, including:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Bitcoin Cash (BCH)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Litecoin (LTC)
Theories and Speculations
The disappearance of such a substantial amount of cryptocurrency has fueled numerous theories and speculations:
- Theft: Some believe that Cotten or an unknown third party stole the cryptocurrency before his death.
- Hacking: Others speculate that QuadrigaCX was hacked and the cryptocurrency was stolen remotely.
- Lost Keys: The most prevalent theory suggests that Cotten was the sole custodian of the cryptocurrency's private keys, and his death resulted in the loss of access to the funds.
- Exit Scam: A few skeptics propose that QuadrigaCX was an elaborate Ponzi scheme, and Cotten's death was staged to abscond with the cryptocurrency.
Despite extensive investigations and legal proceedings, the truth behind the missing cryptocurrency remains elusive, leaving a lasting mystery in the annals of cryptocurrency history.
Legal Proceedings
The legal proceedings surrounding QuadrigaCX and Gerry Cotten's death have been complex and ongoing.
In 2019, Ernst & Young was appointed as the monitor of QuadrigaCX by the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia. The monitor has been responsible for overseeing the company's bankruptcy proceedings and attempting to locate the missing cryptocurrency.
Ongoing Investigations
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has been conducting a criminal investigation into QuadrigaCX and Gerry Cotten's death since 2019. The investigation is ongoing, and no charges have been laid.
In addition to the RCMP investigation, the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) is also conducting a separate investigation into QuadrigaCX. The OSC is responsible for regulating the securities industry in Ontario, and its investigation is focused on whether QuadrigaCX violated any securities laws.
Search for the Missing Cryptocurrency
The search for the missing QuadrigaCX cryptocurrency has been unsuccessful to date. The monitor has been able to recover some cryptocurrency, but the majority of the missing funds remain unaccounted for.
In 2021, the monitor announced that it had hired a cryptocurrency tracing firm to assist in the search for the missing funds. The tracing firm has been able to identify some of the cryptocurrency that was stolen from QuadrigaCX, but it has not been able to recover any of the funds.
Impact on Cryptocurrency Regulation
The QuadrigaCX事件 has highlighted the need for increased regulation in the cryptocurrency industry. In the wake of the事件, governments around the world have begun to take steps to implement new regulations to protect investors and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
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One of the most important measures being taken is the introduction of licensing requirements for cryptocurrency exchanges. This will ensure that exchanges are subject to the same level of oversight as traditional financial institutions. Exchanges will be required to meet certain criteria, such as having adequate capital reserves and implementing strong anti-money laundering and know-your-customer (KYC) procedures.
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Another important measure is the creation of a self-regulatory organization (SRO) for the cryptocurrency industry. This SRO will be responsible for setting standards for the industry and enforcing those standards. It will also provide a forum for investors to file complaints and seek redress.
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The QuadrigaCX事件 has also led to increased scrutiny of the way that cryptocurrency exchanges store and manage their customers' funds. In the wake of the事件, many exchanges have begun to implement new security measures, such as storing customer funds in cold wallets and using multi-signature technology.