A forensic audit of the fiat-to-crypto infrastructure utilized by the blacklisted crypto exchange MEXC has identified a highly sophisticated, multi-layered payment rail. By nesting Finetix Limited S.R.L. (Romania) within the French electronic money infrastructure of HEURO SAS (formerly Harmoniie SAS), MEXC has successfully constructed a "Red Shield" network to mask high-risk crypto flows.
MEXC is certainly one of the most notorious crypto exchanges when it comes to compliance violations. FinTelegram has already pointed this out several times. But the number of negative customer reviews is also increasing. FinTelegram has repeatedly flagged the crypto-exchange MEXC for opaque structures and unlicensed operations.
FinTelegram has consistently flagged the crypto exchange MEXC, placing it on the Red Compliance List due to multiple regulatory warnings and poor customer feedback. We revealed that MEXC processes its FIAT transactions for cryptocurrency purchases via MEXC Estonia OÜ, which holds a crypto license in Estonia. This Estonian entity, in turn, uses Paytend Europe UAB, d/b/a s Paytend, a Lithuanian-regulated e-money institution, to handle FIAT payments through bank transfers.
FinTelegram has already issued several warnings against the crypto exchange MEXC, which is apparently operated by Asians, and has shown how this "Binance-style" crypto exchange operates globally without regulatory permission with millions of customers. Recently, the Spanish CNMV also issued a warning after the German BaFin, the Austrian FMA, the UK FCA and other regulators had already issued warnings. FinTelegram has placed MEXC on the Red Compliance List.
Recent months have witnessed a concerted effort by U.S. authorities, including the Department of Justice, the FinCEN, and regulatory bodies such as the SEC and the CFTC, to clamp down on crypto exchanges flouting financial laws and regulatory norms. However, the landscape in Europe presents a contrasting scenario where exchanges like MEXC continue their operations amidst allegations of illegal activities and regulatory infractions. Recently, the Hong Kong SFC warned against MEXC.
FinTelegram has already issued several warnings against the crypto exchange MEXC. The points we criticized have still not been resolved. The website does not provide any information on the operators or regulations. These are essential details whose absence automatically results in a red flag. We found the Lithuanian EMI Paytend to be the payment processor for bank transfers. On Trustpilot, MEXC secured a 1.9-star rating with a poor trust level. Here is our update.
The crypto exchange MEXC is on the red list on FinTelegram. This was the result of several reviews that revealed an unclear situation regarding regulation and the apparent secrecy surrounding the beneficial owners. In Estonia, the FIU revoked the crypto license of MEXC Estonia OÜ, which the company appealed against. Following the Grimace debacle and insolvency rumors, MEXC CEO John Chen Ju is said to have deleted his X account, which the scheme denies.
The Estonian entity of the crypto scheme MEXC, MEXC Estonia OÜ, has appealed against the revocation of its license in court in Estonia. The appeal reinstated the license. Pending the court's decision, the license is therefore to be recognized as valid. It remains to be seen whether the court will confirm the FIU's revocation of MEXC Estonia's crypto license.
The Estonian entity MEXC Estonia OÜ holds a crypto license issued by the Estonian FIU. The entity operates as a payment agent and distributor for the crypto exchange MEXC. FinTelegram recently reported the warning issued by Austrian FMA against the crypto exchange MEXC. In October 2023, the German BaFin also issued a warning. Due to the regulatory warnings and other issues, we downgraded MEXC to our Red Compliance list. Here is the update.
The hunt by regulators against unlicensed or registered crypto exchanges continues. The Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) recently warned against the crypto exchange MEXC. In Europe, MEXC is operated through MEXC Estonia OÜ, which has a crypto license from the Estonian FIU. However, this license is not sufficient for the FMA, as MEXC provides banking services, the FMA says. Thus, we have orange-listed the crypto exchange.