Ethfinex Parts Ways from Bitfinex, Rebrands to DeversiFi

Thursday, 15/08/2019 | 07:26 GMT by Arnab Shome
  • The split was executed with a "management buyout."
Ethfinex Parts Ways from Bitfinex, Rebrands to DeversiFi
DeversiFI

Ethfinex, Bitfinex’s Ethereum-centric sister exchange, is cutting its ties with its parent company and relaunching itself as DeversiFi.

Despite the new name, the exchange will still operate as a decentralized peer-to-peer exchange, meaning traders can execute trades directly from their private wallets.

The chief executive of the Ethfinex-turned-DeversiFi, Will Harbone, confirmed to The Block that the move was a part of a “management buyout.” The deal was finalized by the eight team members of the rebranded exchange, who were the employees of Ethfinex and Bitfinex.

“This is more than a rebrand; this is about needing more space to grow,” Harbone told the publication. “I wouldn’t call it a coup d’é·tat. We’ve done this with Bitfinex’s blessing.”

Parted ways for good?

Launched in mid-2018, Ethfinex was created as an alternative to Bitfinex to offer dozens of ERC-20 tokens. It recently launched “trustless” over-the-counter (OTC) services to execute large orders involving ERC-20 coins. However, the exchange had a small user base with only 10,000 clients, most of whom were concentrated in Europe.

DeversiFi will be registered as a new company in the British Virgin Islands and will absorb Etfhinex’s existing cash assets earned in revenue.

The company will also no longer oversee activities of iFinex’s Initial Exchange Offering (IEO) ) platform Tokenix.

The move came at a time when Bitfinex is entangled with the ongoing investigation on it by the New York Attorney General’s (NYAG) Office for a letter-of-credit obtained by the company from Stablecoin issuer Tether. The NYAG also filed evidence against the exchange, showcasing that it illegally served clients in the state of New York without obtaining the mandatory BitLicense.

Though Ethfinex split from Bitfinex in a troubled time for the later, the rebranded exchange will face challenges in a highly competitive market without the ties with a big name. The exchange is aiming to generate a daily trading volume of “5-10 million.”

Ethfinex, Bitfinex’s Ethereum-centric sister exchange, is cutting its ties with its parent company and relaunching itself as DeversiFi.

Despite the new name, the exchange will still operate as a decentralized peer-to-peer exchange, meaning traders can execute trades directly from their private wallets.

The chief executive of the Ethfinex-turned-DeversiFi, Will Harbone, confirmed to The Block that the move was a part of a “management buyout.” The deal was finalized by the eight team members of the rebranded exchange, who were the employees of Ethfinex and Bitfinex.

“This is more than a rebrand; this is about needing more space to grow,” Harbone told the publication. “I wouldn’t call it a coup d’é·tat. We’ve done this with Bitfinex’s blessing.”

Parted ways for good?

Launched in mid-2018, Ethfinex was created as an alternative to Bitfinex to offer dozens of ERC-20 tokens. It recently launched “trustless” over-the-counter (OTC) services to execute large orders involving ERC-20 coins. However, the exchange had a small user base with only 10,000 clients, most of whom were concentrated in Europe.

DeversiFi will be registered as a new company in the British Virgin Islands and will absorb Etfhinex’s existing cash assets earned in revenue.

The company will also no longer oversee activities of iFinex’s Initial Exchange Offering (IEO) ) platform Tokenix.

The move came at a time when Bitfinex is entangled with the ongoing investigation on it by the New York Attorney General’s (NYAG) Office for a letter-of-credit obtained by the company from Stablecoin issuer Tether. The NYAG also filed evidence against the exchange, showcasing that it illegally served clients in the state of New York without obtaining the mandatory BitLicense.

Though Ethfinex split from Bitfinex in a troubled time for the later, the rebranded exchange will face challenges in a highly competitive market without the ties with a big name. The exchange is aiming to generate a daily trading volume of “5-10 million.”

About the Author: Arnab Shome
Arnab Shome
  • 7315 Articles
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About the Author: Arnab Shome
Arnab Shome is an electronics engineer-turned-financial editor. He holds a Bachelor of Technology from the National Institute of Technology, Agartala. He entered the retail trading industry about a decade ago, covering the cryptocurrency market for Finance Magnates, and later expanded his coverage to include forex and CFDs as well. His work at Finance Magnates includes C-level interviews, data-driven analysis, opinion pieces, and scoops of industry exclusives. He also contributes to Finance Magnates’ quarterly industry report. Area of coverage: 1. CFD broker-related news 2. Industry-related Regulatory updates and developments 3. New retail trading trends 4. Prop trading industry updates 5. Executive interviews Education: Bachelor of Technology - National Institute of Technology, Agartala (India)
  • 7315 Articles
  • 133 Followers

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