Bitfinex: licences, security, fees and reviews
Centralized exchange
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Key facts
- Type
- Centralized exchange
- Exchange launched
- 2012
- Country of registration
- British Virgin Islands
- Official site
- 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) |
| 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) |
| El Salvador | Bitfinex Derivatives El Salvador, S.A. de C.V. | Licensed entity for derivatives in El Salvador | Comisión Nacional de Activos Digitales (CNAD) |
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
- Fees: www.bitfinex.com/fees
- Terms of use: www.bitfinex.com/legal/exchange/terms
- Security: www.bitfinex.com/account-security
- Blog: 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
- Bitfinex — About us
- Bitfinex — Fees schedule
- Bitfinex — Account security
- Bitfinex blog — Bitfinex Secures Licence and Completes Its Regulated Footprint in El Salvador (12 May 2026)
- Bitfinex Help Center — US Residents Frequently Asked Questions (archived 22 March 2023)
- CFTC — Press Release 7380-16 (2 June 2016)
- CFTC — Press Release 8450-21 (15 October 2021)
- New York Attorney General — Bitfinex settlement (23 February 2021)
- US Department of Justice — seizure of bitcoin from 2016 Bitfinex hack (8 February 2022)
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