BitMEX announces it will shut down the exchange on September 23, 2026, at 04:00 UTC, ending 11 years of operation. New account registrations have been halted immediately. The decision was made by the board following a strategic review, requiring users to close positions and withdraw funds before the shutdown. BitMEX pioneered the 100x leverage perpetual contract, a format that later became mainstream in crypto derivatives. Its exit is now pushing open interest and liquidity to other perpetual contract exchanges.