BitMEX halted all trading at 04:00 UTC on Sept. 23, 2026, completing a staged wind-down announced by owner HDR Global Trading Limited. Deposits, new positions and trading are closed, and transfers sent to former deposit addresses no longer receive account credit, though customers can still use the website to request withdrawals. Verified accounts holding balances face a monthly charge based on the greater of $50 equivalent or an annualized 1% of assets, billed monthly, with fees set to increase over time. Founded in 2014, BitMEX popularized the perpetual swap, a futures contract without an expiry date, and offered leverage of up to 100x. The exchange's decline followed U.S. enforcement action, an unsuccessful 2025 sale process and intensifying competition from Binance, Bybit and OKX, while the derivatives product it helped establish remains central to crypto markets.