Big Short author plans FTX book

THE author of The Big Short is planning a book on the collapse of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange.

Michael Lewis has reportedly spent the past six months with FTX founder Sam Bankman-fried, according to The Ankler, an American news outlet.

The collapse of FTX, one of the world’s biggest exchanges which has filed for bankruptcy protection, has wiped $150bn (£126bn) off the cryptocurrency market’s value, amid fears that the crisis could yet deepen.

In an email obtained by The Ankler, Matthew Snyder of the talent agency Creative Artists says has been travelling with and interviewing Sam Bankman-fried for six months and the events of the past few weeks had provided a “dramatic surprise ending” for the story.

He said it highlights the rivalry between Bankmanfried and Chanpeng Zhao, the chief executive of Binance, another exchange and adds that Lewis describes them as the Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader of crypto.

Mr Snyder said: “Michael hasn’t written anything yet, but the story has become too big for us to wait.”