After five months of silence and significant concern among its users, the cryptocurrency exchange BitForex has resurfaced. The Hong Kong-based platform disappeared abruptly, taking $57 million in user funds and ceasing all communication. Last Friday, BitForex broke its silence, attributing the disappearance to a police investigation in China’s Jiangsu province, during which staff members were detained.
The company announced that while trading will not resume, users will "soon" be able to withdraw their assets. BitForex emphasized that no new user registrations or deposits would be accepted and acknowledged the considerable distress caused by the incident. "We understand that this incident has caused significant inconvenience and distress to our users, and we sincerely apologize for this," the company stated.
The Impact on Users
The sudden disappearance of BitForex left many users in a state of uncertainty. Initially, the exchange attributed its downtime to "unscheduled maintenance," which later turned out to be a cover for the police investigation. Rumors of detentions by Chinese authorities circulated, and the situation remained ambiguous. According to an insider, the Chinese authorities suspected BitForex of conducting cryptocurrency exchange operations within China, which the former CEO, Jason Luo, denied.
Luo claimed that employees were working from Singapore and had returned to China for the New Year holidays when they were detained. His departure from the CEO position just weeks before the platform went offline further fueled the confusion and speculation surrounding the incident.
Unanswered Questions and Future Steps
The investigation in Jiangsu raises several unanswered questions. BitForex has not previously disclosed any ties to this province, and the specifics of who was detained and their roles remain unclear. Despite being registered in Hong Kong, the company does not appear to have a physical office, with addresses leading to virtual address services.
In March, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission designated BitForex a suspicious platform, suspecting it of fraudulent activities. As of May 9, Hong Kong police were still investigating BitForex’s activities, but no further updates have been provided.
Conclusion
BitForex’s abrupt disappearance and subsequent reemergence highlight the risks and uncertainties inherent in the cryptocurrency market, particularly with unregulated exchanges. The incident underscores the need for stricter regulations and transparency to protect investors and maintain market stability. Users and regulators alike will be watching closely to see how BitForex handles the return of funds and the resolution of its legal issues.