Bitfinex was founded in 2012 and launched in Hong Kong as a cryptocurrency exchange, later becoming a subsidiary of iFinex Inc.
Key developments:
- 2012: Founded
- 2016: Major hack ($72M in Bitcoin stolen)
- 2019: New York Attorney General (NYAG) investigation with Tether
- 2021: Settled with NYAG ($18.5M)
- 2022: Enhanced compliance measures
Ownership:
- Subsidiary of iFinex Inc.
- CEO: JL van der Velde
- CTO: Paolo Ardoino
Key services:
- Cryptocurrency trading
- Margin trading
- Lending platform
- OTC (Over-The-Counter) services
- Derivatives trading
Notable for being one of the oldest major crypto exchanges, with close ties to USDT (Tether), though has faced regulatory scrutiny and security challenges throughout its history.