🚨 BITTREX HAS SHUT DOWN — December 2023. Bittrex US filed for bankruptcy in May 2023 after an SEC lawsuit alleging it operated as an unregistered securities exchange. Bittrex reached a $24M SEC settlement in August 2023. Bittrex Global (international arm) then shut down December 4, 2023. The platform is fully closed. Do not deposit funds.
Bittrex — Shutdown Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| April 2023 | SEC sued Bittrex for operating as an unregistered national securities exchange; Bittrex.US halted operations |
| May 2023 | Bittrex.US filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware |
| August 2023 | Bittrex reached a $24 million settlement with the SEC |
| November 21, 2023 | Bittrex Global (Liechtenstein/Bermuda-regulated international arm) announced shutdown |
| December 4, 2023 | Bittrex Global permanently ceased all trading operations |
Bittrex was one of the oldest US-based crypto exchanges, founded in 2014 by former Microsoft engineers. It was known for strong security and a wide altcoin selection. The SEC lawsuit was the primary catalyst for shutdown — it alleged that Bittrex facilitated trading in tokens that should have been registered as securities, including assets like OMG, DASH, and ALGO.
Alternatives to Bittrex
| Exchange | US Available | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Coinbase | ✅ Yes | ✅ Active, NASDAQ-listed |
| Kraken | ✅ Yes | ✅ Active, regulated |
| Gemini | ✅ Yes | ✅ Active, NYDFS licensed |
| Bittrex | N/A — closed | 🚫 CLOSED December 2023 |
⚡ Bottom Line: Bittrex is permanently closed following an SEC lawsuit and $24M settlement. Do not attempt to deposit. For US-regulated alternatives, Coinbase, Kraken, or Gemini are the appropriate replacements.
