Celebrating 12 Proud Years

Celebrating our 12th anniversary, Bitfinex reflects on more than a decade as one of the world’s leading Bitcoin-first exchanges, with a commitment to empowering global, decentralised finance, and the tools for financial freedom. Known for innovations like early Lightning Network support, advanced trading tools, and a secure, reliable institutional grade platform, Bitfinex has stayed at the forefront of the digital asset space while building a strong community of crypto enthusiasts and institutions. 12 years on, Bitfinex reinforces its dedication to promoting and espousing Bitcoin’s principles of privacy, freedom, and financial inclusion.

Happy To Be Here After All These Years

We’re celebrating our 12th anniversary on November 6th, 2024! Bitfinex marks over a decade as a pioneering force as a digital asset exchange and a long-standing member of the Bitcoin ecosystem. Established as one of the first Bitcoin exchanges, Bitfinex has consistently navigated the peaks and valleys of an evolving cryptocurrency market through both bullish and bearish environments while supporting a community of enthusiasts, investors, and innovators dedicated to Bitcoin’s core principles of financial freedom, privacy, and security.

Bitfinex’s journey reflects the resilience of our mission: empowering people to interact and transact freely on a global scale. With initiatives like early support for the Lightning Network,, running some of the largest and most liquid nodes on Lightning, and investing in peer-to-peer solutions, such as Keet, Bitfinex has consistently focused on expanding access to the benefits of decentralised finance while staying committed to Bitcoin as the foundational technology. This dedication aligns with Bitfinex’s broader mission of building secure, reliable, and accessible platforms that democratise digital finance, and give our users the best tool kit for achieving financial freedom.

12 years in our industry can seem like a lifetime. Looking back, we can see the world was a very different place, commonplace tools used by nearly every crypto trader these days, like Telegram, didn’t even exist. Web3 was not even an idea yet, and the first Proof of Stake blockchain, Peercoin, had just made its way onto the scene. ASIC miners for Bitcoin mining had not even been created yet. It was truly the early days, when crypto still seemed like the wild west.

Reflecting on key milestones, Bitfinex has remained at the forefront of technology by continuously advancing security measures, developing unique trading tools, and fostering Bitcoin’s adoption across diverse markets. From offering advanced margin trading and liquidity services to launching a robust staking program, Bitfinex has cultivated an exchange designed to meet the evolving needs of both retail and institutional users, solidifying our position as a leader in digital asset markets.

As Bitfinex looks ahead, the focus remains on nurturing Bitcoin’s potential as a technology for freedom and inclusion, supporting developers and innovators who share in the vision of a decentralised, open financial future.

Resiliently Navigating the Rough Seas of a Chaotic and Constantly Evolving Market

Since its founding in 2012, Bitfinex has navigated a constantly evolving digital asset landscape, building a legacy of resilience and adaptability in one of the most turbulent financial markets that humanity has ever seen. Launched as one of the first exchanges focused on Bitcoin, Bitfinex has continuously set itself apart by providing advanced trading features, liquidity, and innovative technologies, helping early Bitcoin adopters and institutions participate in the nascent cryptocurrency market. Over time, Bitfinex expanded its offerings to include hundreds of trading pairs, pioneering features like margin trading, lending, and, later, staking services, each feature catered to an ever-growing audience of crypto enthusiasts and institutional investors. This adaptability laid a strong foundation for the platform, empowering users and advancing the ecosystem.

However, Bitfinex’s journey has been punctuated by challenges that tested its fortitude. The company faced early obstacles with regulatory pressures, swiftly evolving compliance requirements, and unprecedented market volatility that few could have anticipated. Even in the face of our biggest challenges, Bitfinex took decisive action to secure the platform, strengthen protections, and restore customer confidence. After a serious hack, Bitfinex introduced one of the most innovative recovery models seen in the entire industry, compensating customers through its unique  BFX which it was eventually able to redeem in full. Now with the perpetrators of the hack discovered after a long period of investigations, it has reinforced our reputation as a resilient platform that has built enduring  trust with its community.

Throughout these events, Bitfinex has also remained committed to innovation, expanding its platform capabilities while upholding Bitcoin’s core principles of freedom and financial inclusion. Bitfinex was one of the first major exchanges to adopt the Lightning Network, supporting faster Bitcoin transactions and contributing to the broader adoption of Bitcoin for P2P payments. Our dedication to maintaining a robust infrastructure for institutional-grade liquidity, security, and performance has made us a trusted venue, especially during periods of high volatility when other platforms struggled to maintain stability. With each new service, from crypto loans to advanced charting and trade execution tools, we continuously pushed boundaries, adapting to the changing needs of the crypto market.

Bitfinex’s twelve-year journey exemplifies resilience in a world of rapid technological and financial transformation. It has remained true to its mission of empowering customers globally, integrating new technologies, and prioritising security, transparency, and user control. As we celebrate this milestone, Bitfinex reflects not only on its past but also on a future where it continues to set standards in the digital asset space, standing as a testament to endurance, adaptability, and unwavering dedication to our customers and the principles of Bitcoin.

What Can We Look Forward to From Here?

As Bitfinex looks to the future, we remain steadfast in our commitment to empowering financial freedom and pushing the boundaries of what digital finance can achieve. Our work in El Salvador, the world’s first Bitcoin country, exemplifies this dedication to building a decentralised, inclusive financial system. In supporting El Salvador’s Bitcoin initiatives, from educational programs to infrastructure, Bitfinex is helping to drive Bitcoin adoption on a national scale, laying the groundwork for other nations and communities around the world to follow. By assisting in the development of a thriving Bitcoin economy, we envision a world where individuals can freely engage with a financial system that truly prioritises transparency, security, and access.

Bitfinex Securities further reinforces our commitment to transforming finance by pioneering tokenised securities and real-world assets. Through our efforts in this realm, Bitfinex is making it easier for individuals and institutions to access investments traditionally limited to the few, bringing unprecedented liquidity and global access to the securities market. Tokenising real-world assets and financial products on the blockchain allows for secure, efficient transactions that eliminate traditional intermediaries and lower barriers to entry, democratising finance on a global scale. Our aim is to lead the way in making asset ownership accessible and empowering users to engage in markets that have been historically restrictive, paving the way for a more open and flexible financial ecosystem.

Our work remains deeply anchored in Bitcoin as the foundational layer of this transformation. At Bitfinex, we believe that Bitcoin’s decentralised and censorship-resistant qualities provide an unparalleled base for a new kind of financial system, one that operates outside the constraints of legacy financial institutions. Things like our P2P trading platform ensure that our users can access tools to empower the unbanked and underserved with direct access to financial markets, enabling them to participate in the global economy without relying on traditional banking institutions. We continue to support the development and scaling of Bitcoin infrastructure, including contributions to the Lightning Network and RGB, which is critical to enabling fast, low-cost transactions globally. Our dedication to Bitcoin ensures that we are part of a movement toward a financial system that promotes individual sovereignty, privacy, and financial freedom, one block at a time.

Looking ahead, Bitfinex is more committed than ever to innovating in ways that serve our users and push the industry forward. By combining our support for Bitcoin, our groundbreaking work in tokenized assets, and our partnerships in pioneering jurisdictions like El Salvador, Bitfinex is charting a future that aligns with our core values of accessibility and financial inclusion. We will continue to lead with technology, advocacy, and service, staying true to the principles of decentralisation and financial autonomy that Bitcoin introduced. As the world’s economic landscape continues to shift, Bitfinex remains a trusted partner in building an inclusive, decentralised financial system that benefits all.

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