• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

2

'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032

3

Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon

1

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

2

'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032

3

Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon
TechSilicon Valley Bank

Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse is already causing collateral damage that’s sinking stablecoin values and delaying paychecks

Alexandra Sternlicht
By
Alexandra Sternlicht
Alexandra Sternlicht
Down Arrow Button Icon
Alexandra Sternlicht
By
Alexandra Sternlicht
Alexandra Sternlicht
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 11, 2023, 12:54 PM ET
Exterior shot of Silicon Valley Bank
SVB was known for sponsoring conferences, dinners, podcasts, and other aspects of daily life that promoted entrepreneurship.Noah Berger—AFP/Getty Images

The tech ecosystem has been tossed into turmoil as Silicon Valley Bank, one of the nation’s largest banks for startups, collapsed Friday following a run on deposits. Now, with the bank’s assets frozen and under the control of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, SVB’s customers, employees, and investors are grappling with a mountain of questions.

Customers will have access to their “insured” deposits by Monday, according to the FDIC. But FDIC insurance tops out at $250,000, and given that many startups kept a lot more than that with SVB, many businesses are likely to have difficulties accessing their capital in the coming days and weeks.

The repercussions could be widespread, affecting even people and businesses that aren’t directly connected to Silicon Valley Bank. Here’s a look at some of the key problems and ripple effects that are already playing out because of SVB’s collapse:

Payroll problems 

Because startups that banked with SVB don’t have access to their funds, those startups will have trouble taking care of everyday business expenses—including payroll. It’s unclear how many startups will be in this position, though Y Combinator CEO Gary Tan said that “30% of YC companies exposed through SVB can’t make payroll in the next 30 days.”

Even startups that aren’t clients of Silicon Valley Bank could have payroll problems. That’s because many startups use a company called Rippling to handle their payroll operations. And guess who Rippling’s bank was? Rippling CEO Parker Conrad said that Friday’s paychecks for employees of its customers were “stuck” at SVB. Conrad said his company had tapped other channels, including JPMorgan Chase, to fund those paychecks, and that affected employees would get paid by Monday at the latest.

“I want to extend a heartfelt apology to our clients and their employees who did not get paid today. You rely on us, and we didn’t deliver,” Conrad tweeted.

Public company cash coffers

Streaming video service Roku made an unsettling announcement on Friday: 26% of its $1.9 billion in cash and cash equivalents were held at Silicon Valley Bank. “At this time, the Company does not know to what extent the Company will be able to recover its cash on deposit at SVB,” Roku warned investors. 

Roku noted that it believed its remaining cash and its cash flow from operations would be enough to fund its capital expenditures and working capital needs for the next 12 months and beyond. But the opportunity cost of its diminished war chest—whether that be for M&A or some other venture—is tough to calculate. 

Video game company Roblox also announced that some of its cash was at SVB, though with only 5% of its $3 billion in cash held at the bank, its exposure is significantly less than Roku’s.

Crypto crunch

Another business that has a lot of its cash parked at SVB is cryptocurrency firm Circle, which revealed late on Friday that $3.3 billion of the $40 billion backing its USDC token is at the shuttered bank. The USDC stablecoin is one of the two most primary stablecoins in the crypto market, along with Tether, and is supposed to hold a constant 1-to-1 peg to the U.S. dollar. On Saturday morning USDC’s value had dipped to 92 cents, and smaller stablecoins such as Pax Dollar and DAI also fell from their pegs, according to Bloomberg.

Coinbase Global, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges, said on Friday that it would temporarily stop conversions of USDCs into U.S. dollars, with plans to resume on Monday.

Chilling effect on startups

The disappearance of SVB means one less (major) source of capital for entrepreneurs. Silicon Valley Bank was an important lender for many individuals and businesses in the startup economy, and it also had its own venture arm that funded some startups directly.

“For small startups, borrowing from banks is extremely important. And, at least in the short term, they’ve lost a source of capital,” says Reena Aggarwal, the director of Georgetown University’s Psaros Center for Financial Markets and Policy.

How badly aspiring startups feel the pinch remains to be seen. For years, Silicon Valley was awash in capital looking to be put to use, but the business climate has changed over the past year. Some tech founders have called for their peers to step into the breach. OpenAI cofounder Sam Altman, for example, urged other tech founders on Friday to bankroll startups with “no docs, no terms, just send money.” 
SVB, which had a market cap of $6.3 billion at the last market close, was also known for sponsoring conferences, dinners, podcasts, and other aspects of daily life that promoted entrepreneurship. With its collapse, the startup ecosystem loses both its financier and champion.

Fortune's CFO Daily newsletter is the must-read analysis every finance professional needs to get ahead. Sign up today.

About the Author
Alexandra Sternlicht
By Alexandra Sternlicht
Instagram iconLinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Man in a white shirt and jacket.
InnovationBrainstorm Tech
Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
By Amanda GerutJune 9, 2026
3 hours ago
A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, US, on Wednesday, June 3, 2026
InvestingWall Street
Wall Street dumped nearly $1 trillion in tech stocks by midday—then clawed it back and bought peanut butter and paint
By Eva RoytburgJune 9, 2026
5 hours ago
AI isn’t replacing Hyatt’s salespeople—it’s freeing up a full day of work every week, according to the CEO
AIBrainstorm Tech
AI isn’t replacing Hyatt’s salespeople—it’s freeing up a full day of work every week, according to the CEO
By Sharon GoldmanJune 9, 2026
6 hours ago
America’s grid is reeling. General Motors offers itself as a distributed utility in disguise
EnergyAutos
America’s grid is reeling. General Motors offers itself as a distributed utility in disguise
By Nick LichtenbergJune 9, 2026
6 hours ago
Tesla cofounder: ‘We should be really worried’ about the U.S. grid as China speeds ahead in the power race
EnergyBrainstorm Tech
Tesla cofounder: ‘We should be really worried’ about the U.S. grid as China speeds ahead in the power race
By Jordan BlumJune 9, 2026
6 hours ago
The AI industry spent years chasing bigger models. Now it’s chasing efficiency
AIBrainstorm Tech
The AI industry spent years chasing bigger models. Now it’s chasing efficiency
By Sharon GoldmanJune 9, 2026
7 hours ago

Most Popular

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
Asia
Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
By Kate O'Keeffe and BloombergJune 8, 2026
1 day ago
'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032
Economy
'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032
By Nick LichtenbergJune 9, 2026
10 hours ago
Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon
Environment
Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon
By Sasha RogelbergJune 8, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of June 8, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 8, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
Success
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
By Preston ForeJune 8, 2026
1 day ago
Gen Zers are arriving at college unable to even read a sentence—professors warn it could lead to a generation of anxious and lonely graduates
Success
Gen Zers are arriving at college unable to even read a sentence—professors warn it could lead to a generation of anxious and lonely graduates
By Preston ForeJune 7, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.