A group including former FTX executives, among whom is an individual who provided crucial testimony against Sam Bankman-Fried, has joined forces to establish a new cryptocurrency exchange. The primary objective of this venture is to address the challenges that led to the downfall of their previous employer.

Under the leadership of former FTX lawyer Can Sun, the Dubai-based startup Trek Labs has secured a license to provide cryptocurrency services in the region, granted in late October. The services will be offered under the name Backpack Exchange.

About $9 billion in customer deposits disappeared from FTX, and Sam Bankman-Fried, the company’s head, is now a convicted fraudster who might spend the rest of his life behind bars.

According to a report published on November 11 by the Wall Street Journal, Sun is set to receive assistance from Armani Ferrante, a former employee of FTX, who currently holds the position of CEO at the holding company of Trek in the British Virgin Islands.

Ferrante is also responsible for overseeing the operations of Backpack, a digital wallet for cryptocurrencies that is seamlessly integrated within the Backpack Exchange platform.

Sun and Ferrante expressed their intention to apply the insights gained from FTX’s unsuccessful endeavor in safeguarding user payments. Backpack Exchange intends to utilize new technologies to enable users to store funds in their personal crypto wallets, ensuring that the exchange does not possess unilateral access to these wallets.

Additionally, Sun told the Journal that it will allow Backpack users to confirm their funds whenever they choose.

Ferrante’s wife, Sun’s former legal deputy, is also a member of Trek’s executive team. At a valuation above $100 million, the venture seeks to sell investors a 10% interest.

The reception from investors and users remains uncertain as former FTX executives embark on their venture with Backpack Exchange, particularly with Ferrante’s name taking precedence in a recent press release about the exchange’s launch.

Sun, emphasizing the need for trust and transparency in a post-FTX landscape, acknowledges the challenge of establishing a credible alternative to existing players in the cryptocurrency realm. The success of their endeavor hinges on their ability to instill confidence and transparency in the aftermath of their association with FTX.

In a courtroom spectacle, Sun took the stand as a witness during Bankman-Fried’s recent fraud trial, unraveling a gripping tale of betrayal and deception. There, he unveiled a startling revelation— the former FTX CEO, in a desperate plea for legal justification, had turned to Sun regarding the mysterious placement of FTX’s funds at Alameda Research.

The climax of this legal saga concluded with Bankman-Fried facing the ominous verdict of guilt on all seven fraud-related charges, marking a seismic shift in the narrative of his once-prominent role in the cryptocurrency realm.

Sun subsequently entered into a non-prosecution agreement with federal prosecutors, becoming a pivotal ally in the investigation that ultimately sealed Bankman-Fried’s fate with a conviction earlier this month.

Ferrante was also a firsthand witness to the FTX collapse. He had been employed at Alameda for a brief period during the year 2018, before transitioning to a position at FTX where they were involved in a project related to cryptocurrency tokens.

In the aftermath of FTX’s troubles, Trek Labs and its Backpack Exchange are here to bring simplicity and trust to the world of cryptocurrency. Led by Can Sun, they’re on a mission to make crypto easy and transparent. Though skepticism lingers from FTX’s past, Trek Labs aims to rewrite the story, offering a straightforward and reliable experience for users in this evolving digital landscape.

Featured image from Shutterstock

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