Crypto Shutdown News: CoinEx Exchange to Wind Down After Nine Years
CoinEx, one of crypto's oldest exchanges, told users on September 15, 2026, that it is closing for good. This crypto shutdown news lands at a rough time for the market, and CoinEx is not the only exchange calling it quits this year. Here is what happened, why, and what to do next if you have funds there.
Crypto Shutdown News
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CoinEx will fully close by December 22, 2026, exactly nine years after it launched, with services shutting down in stages starting today.
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CET jumped 3.58% to $0.004999 right after the shutdown news, even though the token is still down 76% this year.
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CoinEx is not alone. Bitget, BitMart, and BitMEX have all announced their own shutdown plans in 2026.
Why Is CoinEx Exchange Shutting Down?
CoinEx blamed a long crypto market downturn, shrinking trading volume and liquidity, and compliance costs across major jurisdictions that climbed past reasonable limits. Founder Haipo Yang said revenue can fall, but legal responsibility does not. He considered selling the platform but chose to close it instead, since users trusted the platform, and often trusted him personally, with their money.
Source: Official Announcement
This crypto shutdown news closes a chapter that started on December 22, 2017, when it first went live. In his letter, Yang said the exchange served millions of users across multiple bull and bear cycles, and that he wanted to give the team a dignified farewell and give CET holders a clear, responsible ending rather than sell the platform to a new owner.
CoinEx Shutdown Timeline: Key Dates to Track
| Date | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Sept 15, 2026 | New sign-ups stop; futures go reduce-only; referral rewards end |
| Sept 22, 2026 | All non-spot services (loans, staking, earn) shut down; on-chain deposits stop, except CET |
| Sept 29, 2026 | Spot trading ends; leftover CET auto-bought back at $0.005; Smart Chain and OneSwap shut down |
| Dec 22, 2026 | Withdrawals close and the platform shuts for good |
Withdrawals stay open the entire time, from today through December 22, 2026. The platform says its reserve ratio sits above 100%, meaning user assets are fully backed, and it has pointed users to its proof-of-reserves page for verification.
Why Is CET Price Up Today Despite Crypto Shutdown News?
CET trades at $0.004999, up 3.58%, with a market cap near $3.54 million, per CoinMarketCap. The reason: it is buying back every leftover CET at its original listing price of 0.005 USDT, no cap on quantity, and that floor is propping up the price.
Source: CoinMarketCap Data
It is one of the stranger side effects of this crypto shutdown news: a token rising while its own exchange closes down. Zoom out, though, and CET has lost 76% of its value this year and fell 34.8% in the past week alone. CoinMarketCap also lists CoinEx's trading volume at $58,546,371 against total assets of $173,669,834.3.
More Exchanges Are Shutting Down in 2026
The Exchange is not fighting this alone. Bitget stopped onboarding new users from Japan starting August 3, 2026, part of a broader pattern of exchange closures shaping the market this year.
BitMart Exchange, a mid-tier exchange, is shutting down in phases, with full closure set for January 31, 2027, and it has already raised user concerns over fund safety and withdrawal speed.
BitMEX will end all operations on September 23, 2026, at 04:00 UTC, a shutdown that owner HDR Global Trading Limited confirmed on July 23, 2026, after freezing new sign-ups and telling users to close positions well before the deadline. Four exchanges, one tough year.
Conclusion
This wave of crypto shutdown news shows how hard it has become for mid-sized platforms to survive shrinking volumes and rising compliance bills. CoinEx users have until December 22, 2026, to withdraw funds. Anyone still holding CET or other assets there should act well before that date.
YMYL Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Cryptocurrency values are highly volatile, and past performance does not guarantee future results. Readers should verify all withdrawal deadlines directly with CoinEx and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any decisions involving their assets.
