[Exchanges](https://revain.org/exchanges/) › Bitfinex

# Bitfinex: licences, security, fees and reviews

Centralized exchange

## Key facts

- **Type**: Centralized exchange
- **Exchange launched**: 2012
- **Country of registration**: British Virgin Islands
- **Official site**: [bitfinex.com](https://www.bitfinex.com)

Data: CoinGecko, 2026-10-27. Only exchanges that operate today with a CoinGecko trust score of 6/10 or higher are listed.

## What is Bitfinex

Bitfinex is a centralised digital asset trading platform founded in 2012 and operated by iFinex Inc. It offers spot and margin trading, derivatives, peer-to-peer margin funding, an OTC desk and staking, with tokenised securities offered through separate Bitfinex Securities entities.

## Services

| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Spot trading | More than 180 spot trading pairs. |
| Margin | Margin trading financed through peer-to-peer margin funding between users. |
| Derivatives | Perpetuals and futures; options are offered through an integration with Thalex Digital Trading Platform Ltd. |
| OTC | OTC desk for large trades directly with a counterparty, off the public order books. |
| Staking / Earn | Lending (margin funding), staking and tokenised securities on the Bitfinex Securities platform. |
| Own token | UNUS SED LEO (LEO); holding LEO reduces peer-to-peer lending fees. |
| Fiat deposits | Bank wire deposits and withdrawals, including via OpenPayd for EUR, GBP and USD. |

## Licences and registrations

| Jurisdiction | Entity | Licence / registration | Regulator |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Salvador | Bitfinex | Digital Asset Service Provider (DASP) licence for the core spot platform, announced 12 May 2026 | [Comisión Nacional de Activos Digitales (CNAD)](https://blog.bitfinex.com/announcements/bitfinex-secures-licence-in-el-salvador/) |
| El Salvador | Bitfinex Securities El Salvador, S.A. de C.V. | Digital Asset Service Provider licence (April 2023), the first licence granted by CNAD | [Comisión Nacional de Activos Digitales (CNAD)](https://blog.bitfinex.com/announcements/bitfinex-secures-licence-in-el-salvador/) |
| El Salvador | Bitfinex Derivatives El Salvador, S.A. de C.V. | Licensed entity for derivatives in El Salvador | [Comisión Nacional de Activos Digitales (CNAD)](https://blog.bitfinex.com/announcements/bitfinex-secures-licence-in-el-salvador/) |

## Security and audits

- Bitfinex states that about 99.5% of customer assets are held in offline, multi-signature wallets.
- Two-factor authentication is available for accounts.
- In 2016 a hacker breached Bitfinex's systems and took 119,754 bitcoin; on 8 February 2022 the US Department of Justice announced it had seized more than 94,000 of those bitcoin.

## Fees

| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Spot maker | 0% (spot and margin) |
| Spot taker | 0% (spot and margin) |
| Futures maker | 0% (derivatives) |
| Deposits | Crypto and stablecoin deposits free; bank wire 0.100% (minimum 60 USD/EUR) |
| Withdrawals | Bank wire 0.100% (minimum 100 USD/EUR); internal transfers between Bitfinex users free |

## Who can use it

- Not available to US citizens, US residents, US permanent residents or holders of a US passport. Under a 2021 settlement, Bitfinex must not trade with New York residents.

## History

| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Bitfinex founded. |
| 2 June 2016 | The US CFTC ordered BFXNA Inc. (d/b/a Bitfinex) to pay a $75,000 civil penalty over off-exchange financed retail commodity transactions and failure to register as a futures commission merchant. |
| 2016 | A hacker breached Bitfinex's systems and took 119,754 bitcoin. |
| 23 February 2021 | Settlement with the New York Attorney General: iFinex, Tether and related entities to stop trading with New Yorkers and pay $18.5 million in penalties. |
| 15 October 2021 | The CFTC ordered iFinex Inc., BFXNA Inc. and BFXWW Inc. (d/b/a Bitfinex) to pay a $1.5 million civil penalty, finding illegal retail commodity transactions with US persons and a violation of the 2016 order. |
| 8 February 2022 | The US Department of Justice announced the seizure of more than 94,000 bitcoin stolen in the 2016 hack. |
| April 2023 | Bitfinex Securities received the first licence granted by El Salvador's CNAD. |
| 12 May 2026 | Bitfinex announced a Digital Asset Service Provider licence for its core platform in El Salvador. |

## Risks and caveats

- Custodial platform: customer assets are held by Bitfinex, and a 2016 hack led to the loss of 119,754 bitcoin from the platform.
- US regulators have taken enforcement action twice (CFTC, 2016 and 2021), and a 2021 New York settlement requires Bitfinex to stop trading with New Yorkers.
- Not available to US citizens, residents or US passport holders.

## About the company

- **Legal entity**: iFinex Inc.
- **Founded**: 2012
- **CEO**: JL van der Velde
- **Parent company**: The New York Attorney General described Bitfinex and Tether as owned and controlled by the same small group of individuals.
- **Own token**: UNUS SED LEO (LEO)

## Official links

- Website: [www.bitfinex.com](https://www.bitfinex.com/)
- Fees: [www.bitfinex.com/fees](https://www.bitfinex.com/fees/)
- Terms of use: [www.bitfinex.com/legal/exchange/terms](https://www.bitfinex.com/legal/exchange/terms/)
- Security: [www.bitfinex.com/account-security](https://www.bitfinex.com/account-security/)
- Blog: [blog.bitfinex.com](https://blog.bitfinex.com/)

## Questions and answers

**Is Bitfinex regulated?**

Bitfinex announced on 12 May 2026 that it received a Digital Asset Service Provider licence from El Salvador's CNAD; affiliated Bitfinex Securities and Bitfinex Derivatives entities are also licensed there.

**Does Bitfinex publish proof of reserves?**

No proof-of-reserves report is published on its website. Bitfinex states that about 99.5% of assets are kept in offline, multi-signature wallets.

**What are Bitfinex's fees?**

Spot, margin and derivatives trades carry zero maker and taker fees. Bank wires cost 0.100% with minimums; crypto deposits are free.

**Who owns Bitfinex?**

Bitfinex is operated by iFinex Inc.; its CEO is JL van der Velde. The New York Attorney General described Bitfinex and Tether as owned and controlled by the same small group of individuals.

**Is Bitfinex available in the US?**

No. Bitfinex's terms exclude US citizens, US residents and US passport holders.

## Sources

- [CoinGecko — Bitfinex](https://www.coingecko.com/en/exchanges/bitfinex)
- [Bitfinex — About us](https://www.bitfinex.com/about/)
- [Bitfinex — Fees schedule](https://www.bitfinex.com/fees/)
- [Bitfinex — Account security](https://www.bitfinex.com/account-security/)
- [Bitfinex blog — Bitfinex Secures Licence and Completes Its Regulated Footprint in El Salvador (12 May 2026)](https://blog.bitfinex.com/announcements/bitfinex-secures-licence-in-el-salvador/)
- [Bitfinex Help Center — US Residents Frequently Asked Questions (archived 22 March 2023)](https://web.archive.org/web/20230322223500/https://support.bitfinex.com/hc/en-us/articles/115003461254-US-Residents-Frequently-Asked-Questions)
- [CFTC — Press Release 7380-16 (2 June 2016)](https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/7380-16)
- [CFTC — Press Release 8450-21 (15 October 2021)](https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/8450-21)
- [New York Attorney General — Bitfinex settlement (23 February 2021)](https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2021/attorney-general-james-ends-virtual-currency-trading-platform-bitfinexs-illegal)
- [US Department of Justice — seizure of bitcoin from 2016 Bitfinex hack (8 February 2022)](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/two-arrested-alleged-conspiracy-launder-45-billion-stolen-cryptocurrency)

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Page updated: 2026-10-28

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Source: https://revain.org/exchanges/bitfinex/