Asian exchange CoinEx has announced a phased cessation of operations, citing prolonged market downturn, shrinking volumes and liquidity, and escalating regulatory costs. New user registration and referral rewards stopped on September 15, futures switched to reduce-only mode, and spot trading will halt on September 29 with a CET buyback at 0.005 USDT per token. Withdrawals remain available until December 22, after which unclaimed USDT will move into independent custody with a monthly 5% fee on original balances. The platform says its reserve ratio exceeds 100%, allowing full user asset redemption.

CoinEx founder Yang Haipo said he accepted the reality that the exchange failed to become an industry leader, and that security and compliance risks have become increasingly uncontrollable. He noted that income can decline but responsibility cannot, and that bearing unlimited risk for limited revenue is no longer a rational choice. Yang revealed he seriously considered selling CoinEx but ultimately decided against it, arguing that transferring user trust to new owners would be the wrong way to end the journey. Withdrawals will remain available through December 22, 2026.

A former China Construction Bank (Asia) client manager pleaded guilty in Hong Kong to conspiring with a fintech company employee to accept bribes totaling over $470,000 in USDT. The scheme involved illegally certifying multiple false documents to guarantee insurance-related investment transactions without bank authorization. The case came to light through an internal CCB Asia investigation, which then filed a corruption complaint with the ICAC. Sentencing has been adjourned to September 18, with the defendant remanded in custody.

Jiangsu's securities regulator issued a risk alert warning investors against illegal fundraising under the guise of real-world asset tokenization. The regulator said some institutions and individuals are hyping RWA concepts with promises of physical asset backing, principal protection, and high returns to lure public investment. It emphasized that any financing activity conducted in mainland China under the RWA label is illegal, and urged investors to reject claims of guaranteed returns and report suspicious activities to authorities.

Matrixport deposited 1,400 BTC, worth approximately $107.8 million, into Binance while simultaneously withdrawing 10,000 ETH valued at about $24.67 million. The on-chain movement was tracked by Lookonchain, signaling active portfolio rebalancing by the Asian digital asset financial services platform. The transfers come amid broader market volatility with Bitcoin trading below $80,000.

CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost reported that Binance's seven-day average altcoin inflow count has climbed to 31,800, up nearly fourfold from 8,300 in July. The spike follows Bitcoin's more than 30% rally within days and may be linked to selling pressure ahead of major macro events. Coinbase's seven-day average rose from 2,200 to 4,700, while Bybit climbed to 2,700. Darkfost noted the levels are not yet abnormally high but warrant attention as the market awaits the Clarity Act vote and FOMC decision, with rate hike probabilities at 92%.

ViaBTC clarified that CoinEx's decision to cease exchange operations will not impact its own business, including hashrate access, mining revenue calculation and distribution, asset withdrawals, and customer service. The only adjustment involves stopping the automatic withdrawal feature to CoinEx. ViaBTC emphasized that it has always operated independently from CoinEx with separate business scenarios, financial accounting, and fund management.

Consensus will return to Hong Kong in early February 2027 for a third consecutive year, with both the 2025 and 2026 editions attracting over 10,000 attendees each. This year's agenda will center on institutional adoption of digital assets and artificial intelligence, with AI expected to play a larger role than in previous years. Hong Kong's robust regulatory framework and status as a global financial center continue to position it as a key hub for digital asset innovation in Asia.

Two wallets that had been inactive for over a year, possibly belonging to the same whale, deposited 14,700 ETH worth approximately $36.94 million into OKX within nine hours. The deposits suggest large holders may be looking to sell or reposition as market conditions shift. Ethereum has been volatile, recently dipping below $2,500 before recovering above $2,600 earlier in the day.

Chinese A-shares pulled back after an initial rally, with the ChiNext index falling over 1.1%. Lithium battery giant CATL plunged more than 6%, hitting a nearly one-year low. Combined turnover on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges reached 1.61 trillion yuan, the lowest this year and down 16.5 billion yuan from the prior session, with over 4,300 stocks declining. Semiconductor and cybersecurity names showed relative strength while agriculture and retail stocks led the declines.