CEX.IO security record
- Our rating
- 4.0
- Events
- 6
- Adverse
- 4
- Since
- 2023
- Review updated
- 2026-08-27
Our record for CEX.IO holds 6 dated events since 2023, 4 of them a breach, enforcement action, insolvency or outage. The most recent, on 2026-08-27: Deposits and trading unavailable in Europe, withdrawals still open. Every event below carries its source.
By kind
- Enforcement
- 3
- Outage
- 1
- Licence
- 2
The record, year by year
Newest first. Good news and bad news sit in the same list, in order.
2026
- Outage
Deposits and trading unavailable in Europe, withdrawals still open
A service notice on CEX.IO's own site states that certain account functionalities, including deposits and trading, are not available because of ongoing regulatory updates, and that funds remain available to withdraw. The MiCA transition period for EU crypto platforms ended on 1 July 2026. Dated to the day this page recorded the notice, since CEX.IO does not date it.
- Licence
Money transmitter licences in 38 states and DC under NMLS 1804170
CEX.IO Corp publishes a state-by-state licence table covering 38 states and the District of Columbia, alongside its FinCEN money services business registration. In Alaska, Louisiana, Tennessee and Virginia the licence explicitly does not cover the transmission of virtual currency. Dated to the day the table was read, as CEX.IO publishes no revision date.
- Licence
UK entity registered with the FCA under the money laundering rules
CEX.IO Markets UK Limited secured registration with the Financial Conduct Authority under the UK money laundering regulations on 12 March 2026, so UK customers are served through a registered firm. This is an anti-money-laundering registration rather than authorisation of the trading service itself.
2025
- Enforcement
Cut off accounts in India at two days notice
A notice published on 7 October 2025 told residents of India to withdraw everything by 3pm UK time on 9 October, after which they would no longer be able to access their accounts. CEX.IO attributed the change to recent regulatory developments. India is not named on the exclusion list the support site publishes, so that list understates where the platform cannot be used.
- Enforcement
Removed USDT and DAI for users in the EEA to comply with MiCA
Spot trading in USDT and DAI pairs closed on 1 March 2025 for customers in the European Economic Area, savings on 28 March, and wallet, savings and trading on 31 March. Remaining balances were converted to USDC between 1 and 5 April 2025. The change followed the stablecoin rules in the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation.
2023
- Enforcement
Withdrew from Canada, then blocked Canadian access entirely
CEX.IO stopped serving Canadian customers on 15 July 2023 as Canada tightened its rules for crypto platforms. It later ceased withdrawal functionality on 5 October 2023 and blocked access from Canadian IP addresses, following a request from the Autorite des marches financiers and other members of the Canadian Securities Administrators.
Compared with the alternatives
The same counts for every alternative the CEX.IO review names. A platform with no dated record is one we have not researched to this depth, not one with a clean history.
| Exchange | Events | Adverse | Latest | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEX.IO | 6 | 4 | 2026-08-27 | |
| Coinmama | No dated record | |||
| itez | No dated record | |||
| Kraken | 10 | 6 | 2026-06-30 | Record |
| Bitstamp | 12 | 3 | 2026-02-06 | Record |
Compared: Coinmama, itez, Kraken and Bitstamp.
Frequently asked questions
Has CEX.IO been hacked?
Our record lists no breach event for CEX.IO. It is a record of what we could date and source, not a guarantee; the 6 events it does hold are above.
Has CEX.IO faced regulatory action?
Yes, 3 enforcement actions on our record: 2025, cut off accounts in India at two days notice; 2025, removed USDT and DAI for users in the EEA to comply with MiCA; 2023, withdrew from Canada, then blocked Canadian access entirely.
Does CEX.IO publish proof of reserves?
Our record lists no proof-of-reserves attestation for CEX.IO. Absence from our record means we could not date and source one, not that none exists.
Is CEX.IO licensed?
2 licence or authorisation events on our record: 2026, money transmitter licences in 38 states and DC under NMLS 1804170; 2026, uK entity registered with the FCA under the money laundering rules. A licence covers the entity and activities it names, which the event text states.
Is CEX.IO safe?
Safety is not a field on our record; dated events are. Since 2023 we have sourced 6 events for CEX.IO, 4 of them adverse, the latest on 2026-08-27. Weigh the list above, and keep coins you are not trading in your own wallet whichever platform you use.
Sources
- CEX.IO: US licenses and registrations
- CEX.IO: countries and territories not supported
- CEX.IO: limits and commissions
- CEX.IO: payment methods
- CEX.IO: withdrawal deadline for users in India
- CEX.IO: update regarding our services in Canada
- CEX.IO: MiCA compliance, USDT and DAI for EEA users
- CEX.IO: FCA registration in the UK
