Crypto exchange Zipmex suspends trading activity in Thailand

Cryptocurrency exchange Zipmex has announced it is taking immediate action by suspending all digital asset trading in Thailand as part of its efforts to comply with regulations.

According to a statement issued on November 25, Zipmex has opted to temporarily halt its operations to align with regulatory requirements with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Thailand:

“To ensure that the business operations of Zipmex Company Limited (“Company”) are appropriate and compliant with the criteria set by the SEC Thailand, the company is required to temporarily suspend the trading and depositing of all types of assets, effective from November 25, 2023, at 1:00 PM onwards.”

Additionally, the statement emphasized that following the year-end, customers must directly contact the exchange if they wish to withdraw funds or assets.

“After January 31, 2024, when the company suspends withdrawals through the website and mobile application, customers are required to contact Customer Support for withdrawals,” the statement noted. 

This follows a series of reported challenges for Zipmex in recent times. 

On April 18, Cointelegraph reported that Zipmex had a delay in paying its customers due to an attempt to “maximize returns for customers.”

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The exchange requested another extension that would allow for a longer moratorium on its debt in Singapore amid the firm’s liquidity issues. 

Meanwhile, on January 10, Zipmex was the focus of a new probe by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Thailand for a breach of new local rules.

On January 11, Zipmex was reportedly just given one day to admit or deny to the SEC if it had been operating as a digital asset fund manager without permission. 

Meanwhile, investigations into the exchange had been going on for some time.

In September 2022, the SEC had filed a local police report on Zipmex claiming that the exchange and its co-founder Akalarp Yimwilai of non-compliance with local laws.

Furthermore, the SEC explained that Zipmex had not provided information on digital wallets and crypto transactions in compliance with the country’s Digital Assets Act.

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