BitMEX shuts down trading after 11 years

BitMEX, the exchange co-founded by Arthur Hayes that invented crypto perpetual swaps, ended all exchange operations on September 23, 2026 after 11 years. Trading and deposits stopped, but users can still log in and withdraw funds as the wind-down completes.

• BitMEX pioneered the perpetual swap, one of crypto's most-traded derivatives.
• The closure joins CoinEx and BitMart in a wave of exchange shutdowns this year under rising regulatory and security pressure.
• No timeline was disclosed for completing withdrawals.