FTX Seeks Approval for Swift Sale of 8% Stake in Anthropic

Cryptocurrency exchange FTX, which is undergoing bankruptcy proceedings, is preparing to sell its most significant remaining illiquid asset: an 8% stake in the AI startup Anthropic. In October 2021, Anthropic received a $500 million investment from Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of FTX. FTX has submitted a motion seeking court approval to sell its stake in Anthropic. Another motion has been filed, requesting a shortened review period for the sale motion, allowing it to be considered at the next bankruptcy court hearing on February 22. Objections to this motion must be submitted by February 15.

The filing discloses the exact percentage of FTX's ownership in Anthropic, which is 7.84%, and outlines two primary procedures for selling the shares: auction or private sale. FTX's lawyers have redacted the price they seek for their Anthropic shares, citing that “public reference prices may adversely affect the debtor's goal of obtaining higher and better offers for the Anthropic shares.”