How to withdraw from CoinEx before it shuts down

CoinEx announced on 15 September 2026 that it is stopping operations and shutting down. The exchange closes permanently at 02:00 UTC on 22 December 2026, nine years to the day after it launched. Spot trading ended at 02:00 UTC on 29 September, and assets with external market liquidity have since been sold and converted to USDT, credited to spot accounts. What remains is the withdrawal window, which closes at 02:00 UTC on 22 December.

CoinEx states its reserve ratio exceeds 100%, so user assets remain fully backed and available throughout the process. The company describes this as a voluntary, orderly wind-down. Founder Haipo Yang cited prolonged market weakness alongside compliance costs that had grown harder to justify.

The 5% monthly fee is the part worth understanding

Funds remain recoverable after the December deadline, at a cost that compounds monthly. Unclaimed USDT moves into independent custody charged at 5% of the original balance per month, with claims accepted until 22 August 2028.

On a $1,000 balance, that is $50 every month the funds sit unclaimed. At 5% of the original balance per month, an unclaimed balance is fully consumed in 20 months, which is close to the August 2028 claim deadline.

The grace period runs until August 2028, which is long enough to feel comfortable and expensive enough to make that comfort costly.

What to do after you withdraw from CoinEx

The standard advice is to move funds to another exchange. For large holdings or active traders that is reasonable, and the Coinbase withdrawal guide covers that route in detail.

For smaller balances the calculation is different. Exchange withdrawal minimums, network fees and the deposit process at the receiving exchange each take a cut of a modest amount.

Spending the balance directly skips that entirely. Cryptorefills accepts USDT across Tron, Solana, Base, Arbitrum, Polygon and Ethereum, which means a CoinEx withdrawal can go straight to a purchase without a second exchange account in between. The catalog covers gift cards for 6,600+ brands, mobile top-ups for 600+ operators, eSIM plans for 200+ countries, and flights across 300+ airlines.

For a balance you want to keep as general spending power rather than a specific brand, the Rewarble Visa USD is the closest equivalent to cashing out. It delivers a virtual card number with CVV, available globally from $20 to $500, usable at any online merchant that takes Visa.

How to withdraw from CoinEx and spend the balance

Step 1. Log in to CoinEx and check your spot account balance. Since 29 September, most holdings have been converted to USDT automatically.

Step 2. Withdraw to a self-custody wallet you control. USDT on Tron carries the lowest network fee for most amounts. If you hold SOL or USDC on Solana, Phantom is a practical destination. For multi-chain balances, Trust Wallet handles most assets in one place.

Step 3. Confirm the withdrawal has arrived before the deadline passes. CoinEx has noted that some token withdrawals may take longer while funds move between cold and hot wallets, and advised users against waiting until the final day.

Step 4. To spend rather than hold, go to Cryptorefills, select a product, choose your coin and network at checkout, and send the exact amount shown. Delivery is by email within two to five minutes of on-chain confirmation.

The CET buyback

CoinEx is repurchasing CET, its native token, at 0.005 USDT per token with no cap on quantity accepted. That price sits slightly above where CET was trading at the time of the announcement. CET holders who take the buyback receive USDT into their spot account, which then falls under the same 22 December withdrawal deadline as every other balance on the platform.

Frequently asked questions