FTX’s assets are frozen in its home country and a liquidator appointed after its stunning collapse

An asset freeze was “the prudent course of action” to preserve assets and stabilize the company, the agency said Thursday in a statement. An attorney has been appointed provisional liquidator as the Bahamas securities regulator seeks to place the beleaguered crypto exchange into receivership. 

“The commission is aware of public statements suggesting that clients’ assets were mishandled, mismanaged and/or transferred to Alameda Research. Based on the commission’s information, any such actions would have been contrary to normal governance, without client consent and potentially unlawful,” it said.

FTX.com is based in the Bahamas and is a separate legal entity from FTX US. 

Representatives for FTX.com didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.