Bittrex Global to halt operations and close after SEC claims

Cryptocurrency exchange Bittrex Global informed users about the complete cessation of trading operations. The company will halt all trading activities on the platform starting December 4, 2023. In an official notification, the exchange's management emphasized that this was a forced decision, driven by legal troubles encountered during interactions with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The situation was further exacerbated by a deteriorating regulatory environment in the United States. According to Bittrex Global's leadership, all user funds and tokens "remain safe and secure on the Bittrex Global platform and are available for withdrawal at any time." The company advises users to withdraw their assets as soon as possible. However, Bittrex Global points out that due to SEC restrictions, users will not be able to withdraw assets in US dollars. In the current scenario, client balances in dollars must first be converted into euros or cryptocurrency before they can be withdrawn. In April 2023, the SEC charged William Shihara, former CEO of Bittrex, with operating an unregistered securities exchange. Subsequently, the crypto platform's management agreed to pay a $24 million fine to settle the SEC's claims.