Bitcoin exchange head takes millions to grave

A CANADIAN cryptocurrency exchange was granted bankruptcy protection on Monday after its president took passwords for accounts containing C$180 million (US$137 million) to his grave when he died suddenly. QuadrigaCX said it sought protection from creditors after weeks of attempting to “locate and secure our very significant cryptocurrency reserves” following the death of its president Gerald Cotten. Nova Scotia’s high court granted the application made by Cotten’s widow Jennifer Robertson on behalf of the company, which has also stopped currency trading on its platform. In an affidavit, Robertson said the company has been unable to access an encrypted computer that he is believed to have used to store the cryptocurrencies owed to 115,000 users. “I do not know the password or recovery key,” Robertson said.