Exodus Movement, a publicly traded cryptocurrency company, has initiated legal action against W3C, the parent company of crypto-focused firms Baanx and Monovate, and its CEO, Garth Howat, in an effort to finalize the $175 million acquisition agreed upon last November. The lawsuit, filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery, seeks to compel Howat to adhere to the obligations outlined in the November 24, 2025 Stock Purchase Agreement.
Following the signing of the deal, Howat and W3C received $80 million in loans from Exodus, with Howat personally receiving $10 million, which he later claimed did not need to be repaid, as alleged in the lawsuit. The lawsuit accuses Howat and W3C of engaging in a deliberate and improper attempt to evade completing the transaction, citing actions such as the alleged misappropriation of millions of dollars from a subsidiary, falsification of documents submitted to government authorities, and unjustified replacement of key personnel. Howat has not responded to requests for comment. W3C's subsidiaries, Baanx and Monovate, were involved in the Crypto Life digital asset cards business, which collaborated with major players like Mastercard and MetaMask.
Exodus CEO and Co-founder JP Richardson stated, 'We have a binding agreement in place with W3C and expect it to be fully respected. We are confident in our position and anticipate a prompt resolution.'