Gerald Cotten: Biography, Career, and Business Insights

Gerald Cotten’s Profile Summary

Company	Cryptocurrency Exchange Fraud
Position	Founder and CEO of QuadrigaCX.
Source of wealth	Customer funds from QuadrigaCX, personal investments, real estate
Also known as	Early adopter in cryptocurrency exchanges, tech entrepreneur.
Years of life	11.05.1988 - 09.12.2018
Education	Schulich School of Business, Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.
Citizenship	Canadian
Residence	Canada
Family	Widow Jennifer Robertson.
Website, Social Media	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadriga_Fintech_Solutions

Gerald Cotten’s biography

Gerald Cotten was the founder and CEO of QuadrigaCX, one of Canada’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges before its collapse. Born and raised in Canada, Cotten initially became interested in blockchain technology and digital assets, founding QuadrigaCX in 2013. By the time QuadrigaCX was operational, cryptocurrency exchanges were growing in popularity, attracting thousands of investors. However, Cotten’s management practices and financial oversight came under scrutiny following his sudden death in December 2018 during a trip to India. After his passing, QuadrigaCX users discovered that Cotten was the sole custodian of the exchange’s encrypted funds, and reportedly, no one else had the passwords necessary to access these assets. Investigations revealed significant misappropriations, including the use of customer funds for Cotten’s personal expenses and high-risk investments. This led to a loss of around $190 million in customer funds. The QuadrigaCX scandal became a pivotal case in cryptocurrency fraud history, raising questions about the regulation and security of digital asset exchanges. Cotten’s death and the loss of funds have remained highly controversial, sparking numerous investigations and widespread speculation.

How did Gerald Cotten make money?

Gerald Cotten makes money in the following areas:

Customer funds from QuadrigaCX, personal investments, real estate
What is Gerald Cotten net worth?

As of 2025, there is no publicly available and reliable information regarding Gerald Cotten’s net worth.

What is Gerald Cotten also known as?

Gerald Cotten was known in cryptocurrency circles as an early advocate for digital currency adoption in Canada. His work aimed to make cryptocurrency accessible to the Canadian public, and QuadrigaCX was one of the few exchanges offering Canadian dollar pairings at the time. Cotten was also regarded as a tech entrepreneur, engaging in small-scale software projects before his venture into the crypto world. His name has since become synonymous with the challenges and risks associated with cryptocurrency exchanges due to the infamous QuadrigaCX collapse.

Prominent achievements of Gerald Cotten

Founded QuadrigaCX, one of Canada’s early cryptocurrency exchanges, helped popularize cryptocurrency in Canada, attracted thousands of customers to his platform, though his achievements have since been overshadowed by the scandal following his death

What are Gerald Cotten’s key insights?

Cotten believed in the potential of cryptocurrency to democratize financial access but lacked strict governance and control practices. His business style reportedly emphasized rapid growth and high-risk management, leading to questionable asset handling practices that became apparent posthumously.

Gerald Cotten’s personal life

Cotten was married to Jennifer Robertson, who became a focal point in the QuadrigaCX investigation due to her association with Cotten’s financial dealings and inheritance claims. No known children or other immediate family members were widely reported in connection with Cotten.

Useful insights

Top 3 Financial Pyramid Schemes

As an expert at Traders Union, I can’t stress enough how critical it is to thoroughly research any financial opportunity before you invest. Taking a few extra steps in verifying the legitimacy of a platform or broker can save you from falling victim to scams.

Bernie Madoff

His $65 billion Ponzi scheme ran for decades, fooling banks, pension funds, and celebrities alike. He used new deposits to pay old investors, maintaining the illusion of steady returns.
Allen Stanford

Promised high yields through offshore “certificates of deposit,” but in reality, siphoned $7 billion from clients in what the SEC called a classic Ponzi structure.
Tom Petters

Forged documents to attract billions in fake consumer electronics deals. Investors believed they were financing orders for retailers like Costco and Best Buy.

One clear principle emerges from these cases: If returns are steady, unusually high, and come with little transparency—be extremely cautious. Real investments always include risk and regulatory oversight.