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ZEC $1,269 MEXC to exit Russia and Belarus in global compliance push
The Seychelles-based exchange says affected users will get individual notices, with no shared withdrawal deadline published.
Key takeaways
- No shared deadline. MEXC has not published a common withdrawal deadline or disclosed how many accounts are affected.
- Earlier futures limits. MEXC had already restricted selected futures trading pairs in both countries in May 2026.
- Rival moved first. Bitget updated its restricted-jurisdiction list on October 16 to include Russia and Belarus.
What happened
MEXC plans to stop offering services to users in Russia and Belarus. The exchange said the decision follows its global compliance work and was announced on October 20. Customers covered by the change will get individual notices explaining how to close positions and withdraw assets.
MEXC has not set one withdrawal deadline for everyone and has not said how many accounts are affected. It said customer assets stay protected during the process and told users without a notice that they can keep trading under existing terms. It also warned about phishing links and impersonation attempts.
The step follows narrower limits from May. MEXC restricted selected futures pairs for users in Russia, Ukraine, Armenia and Belarus, with those rules taking effect on May 18 at 07:00 UTC. Ukraine and Armenia were not named in the October update.
Why it matters
MEXC is not the first exchange to pull back from these markets. Bitget updated its restricted-jurisdiction list on October 16 to include Russia and Belarus, and CoinGape reported that the list also covers Kazakhstan. The overlap suggests offshore platforms are narrowing where they operate.
The retreat comes as both countries build domestic alternatives. Russia's crypto law took effect on September 1, 2026, setting up a licensed framework, while Moscow Exchange plans to launch crypto trading in December and the central bank has approved Sberbank for crypto exchange services. Belarus approved its first crypto banks after a January 2026 law allowed cryptobanks to link tokens to banking.
Background
MEXC has made other compliance changes this year. In July it appointed Robert MacDonald as chief compliance officer, and CoinGape reported that the exchange named Vugar Usi as CEO earlier this year. CoinGape also linked the pullback to MEXC's earlier exit from the Netherlands after MiCA-related enforcement.
What is still unclear
- MEXC's notice did not name a specific regulator, sanctions designation or licensing decision behind the exit, and the company has not said when the service shutdown will be complete.
Questions readers ask
When is MEXC leaving Russia and Belarus?
MEXC announced the move on October 20, 2026. It has not published a single deadline for withdrawals or position closures, so affected users should follow the timeline in their own notice.
Will every MEXC user in Russia and Belarus lose access?
No. MEXC said customers who receive no termination notice can continue using its trading services if they follow the platform's terms.
What did MEXC restrict before this announcement?
In May 2026 MEXC limited selected futures pairs for users in Russia, Ukraine, Armenia and Belarus. Those restrictions took effect on May 18 at 07:00 UTC.
Which exchange restricted Russia and Belarus before MEXC?
Bitget updated its restricted-jurisdiction list on October 16 to include Russia and Belarus. CoinGape reported that the list also covers Kazakhstan.
