ShapeShift Leaves New York, Choosing Not to Comply with BitLicense
ShapeShift, a popular cryptocurrency exchange based in Switzerland, terminated its services in New York today, due to the state’s BitLicense regulations for digital currencies. Erik Voorhees, Shapeshift Founder and CEO, told CNBC: Voorhees has decided not to to comply with the BitLicense, explaining that ShapeShift is not willing to take the risk of exposing its users’ personal information, leaving them susceptible to potential data breaches or hacking attacks. The exchange is known for its ease of use because it doesn’t require users to create accounts. "We either would have to do....
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Yet another bitcoin startup left New York State and declined to comply with the BitLicense. BitFinex, the largest cryptocurrency trading platform in the U.S has followed the lead of Poloniex and Shapeshift, announcing the closure of their operations on their blog this week. The BitFinex team wrote: BitLicense requires any digital currency related startups and exchanges to pay US$5,000 in application fees, US$20,000 in legal fees. “Due to financial regulation changes in the State of New York, certain Bitfinex services are no longer available for New York Residents. Bitfinex is not applying....
Another Bitcoin business is leaving New York due to the BitLicense. Poloniex the U.S. based Altcoin and Bitcoin exchange is shutting its doors to New York residents on August 8. Customers of the site have been issued an email warning letting them know they must remove funds if they reside in NY. With the BitLicense full steam ahead lead by Ben Lawsky and....
Genesis Mining is the latest company to announce its departure from New York, following the formal introduction of the state's BitLicense. In a blog post released yesterday, the cloud mining firm - which claims to serve over 50,000 customers - said it had no choice but to block anyone with a New York IP address from using its services. 'While advocates for the BitLicense say they want to protect consumers, what the act really does is stifle innovation. It's complex, expensive, and comes with a set of guidelines that make it nearly impossible for any startup to comply with.'
Poloniex, a U. S. -based cryptocurrency exchange, has left New York due to the restrictions and limitations of the state's BitLicense. Including Poloniex, three bitcoin startups have shut down their operations in New York during the past few months and declined to comply with BitLicense, a set of rules that restricts operations of Bitcoin exchanges and demands startups to pay fees to operate legally. Size. For a relatively small exchange or startup like Poloniex, BitLicense's requirement for Bitcoin startups to pay a $5,000 non-refundable application fee to operate and continue their....
Mere weeks after New York state's BitLicense requirements were said to be “in effect,” two Bitcoin mining pools have been forced to deny their services to New York IP addresses (one shutting down entirely), and one exchange has done the same. BTC Guild and Eobot are among Bitcoin's smaller mining pools — you know, the kind that have kept Bitcoin mining sort of “decentralized.” But BTC Guild has now shut down entirely, telling its members: Similarly, Eobot explained to their members who use New York IP addresses that the mining pool could no longer afford to deal with them: “The fact that....