Galaxy Digital Agrees to $200 Million Settlement Over Alleged TerraLuna Violations

New York Attorney General Letitia James and Mike Novogratz’s Galaxy Digital have reached a $200 million settlement regarding alleged violations related to their promotion of the collapsed cryptocurrency TerraLuna.

Mike Novogratz's Galaxy Digital has agreed to pay $200 million to settle claims by New York Attorney General Letitia James that the firm misrepresented its multi-million dollar exit strategy while publicly endorsing the collapsed cryptocurrency TerraLuna (LUNA).

As part of the settlement, Galaxy Digital will make a $70 million payment to the New York State Department of Law, which will be used to provide restitution to defrauded investors. Additionally, Galaxy Digital will donate $130 million to non-profit organizations advancing financial literacy and economic empowerment in low-income communities across the state.

Attorney General James stated, "Today's settlement holds Galaxy Digital accountable for its role in the promotion and eventual collapse of LUNA.”

"We maintain that throughout its multi-million dollar exit strategy, the firm never disclosed its intent to liquidate its LUNA position. These actions, in violation of Martin Act and Executive Law, contributed to LUNA's market price manipulation and the staggering financial losses suffered by investors.

The attorney general's complaint, filed in April 2023, focused on Galaxy Digital's involvement with LUNA. LUNA, along with its sister token TerraUSD (UST), was designed to form the foundation of the Terra ecosystem. However, the project collapsed in May 2022, leading to an estimated $40 billion in cryptocurrency losses and the bankruptcy of major firms like BlockFi and Three Arrows Capital.

The complaint alleged that while Novogratz and Galaxy Digital engaged in paid partnerships and social media campaigns to promote LUNA to the public, the firm was simultaneously engaging in private communications with institutional investors to highlight the risks associated with LUNA and its potential for multi-billion dollar losses.

The complaint further claimed that Galaxy Digital's actions contributed to LUNA's surge in market price from $0.31 in October 2020 to $119.18 in April 2022, ultimately profiting in the hundreds of millions of dollars from its LUNA sales. However, these sales were not disclosed to the public, violating New York's Martin Act and Executive Act.

The complaint also mentioned that in October 2020, LUNA was largely unknown in the U.S. crypto market, with its main focus being on the South Korean market. However, Novogratz's interview on CNBC, where he praised LUNA as a "promising new cryptocurrency to watch," is said to have played a pivotal role in introducing the token to a broader American audience.

The settlement comes after Do Kwon, Terra's co-founder, was arrested by Montenegro police on charges of travel paper forgery. Kwon is set to stand trial in the U.S. in January 2026, while Terraform Labs, the firm behind Terra, signed a $4.47 billion settlement with the SEC, agreeing to disband and proceed with asset liquidation through a bankruptcy distribution plan.