What happened to AscendEX?

So, I've been hearing a lot of buzz about AscendEX lately, but I'm a bit confused about what exactly has happened with this platform. Can you fill me in on the details? What sort of events or developments have taken place that have people talking? Is AscendEX still operational, or has it faced any significant challenges recently? I'm interested in understanding the current state of affairs with this cryptocurrency exchange.