Bittrex Delists Multiple Altcoin Markets for US-Based Traders

Major cryptocurrency exchange Bittrex is once again making certain markets unavailable for trade in the USA. This time the list includes 42 different altcoins, listed in an official announcement on its website.

Yesterday the Seattle-based exchange notified its users through an email and an announcement on their website, that it is going to be making market availability changes for its U.S. customers, effective June 28. As per the announcement, this will only affect its U.S. users, as the removed markets will still be available on its International platform. The exchange also provided a list of altcoins which will be unavailable for trade in the USA after June 28:

In addition to the announcement, the exchange has stated that its U.S. customers will be sent an additional email, advising what they can and cannot do with their tokens, as after the changes take effect they will no longer be able to sell or buy them. U.S. users will still be able to withdraw and hold these tokens in their Bittrex wallet, as long as they are supported on the International platform, but all open orders will be canceled. On the question “Does this mean Bittrex is leaving the US?” the exchange answered:

Bittrex is proud to be a U.S. Digital Asset Trading Platform. U.S. customers will have access to a more limited number of markets as compared to what Non-U.S. Customers have on the Bittrex International platform. Like other industry participants, we will continue to advocate for laws and regulations that foster innovation.

The community was quick to notice that the similarity between this announcement and yesterday’s one from Binance. That said, Bittrex had already started to make certain markets unavailable in the USA by the time that Binance officially changed their terms of use. The first announcement by Bittrex was made on June 07, when they marked 32 different altcoins to be removed from the U.S. markets:

The USA is a big slice of the trading pie, and neither Bittrex nor Binance would want to lose it, but constant pressure from regulators has left them no choice but to limit the options of U.S. traders. Even though Binance.com will no longer service U.S. citizens, the company has announced the release of a new U.S. exchange that will have limited trading pairs. Bittrex is also not withdrawing completely from the U.S. market, but has left it with very limited trading options.