Turkish Bitcoin Exchange Suspected of Exit Scam

On 20 April, the Turkish cryptocurrency trading platform Thodex unexpectedly halted trading, and users were also concerned by the exchange’s chief closing its accounts on Twitter and Instagram, according to BBC.

Initially the platform announced six hours of technical work, but on 21 April it published a new statement, saying that a ‘major partner’ would join the company, and that the site would remain closed during the transfer process, which was expected to take four to five business days.

Because April 23 is a public holiday in Turkey, the deadline would shift into the following calendar week.

Local agencies reported that police conducted a raid at Thodex’s headquarters, and a formal investigation has begun into the company.

“We would like to inform you that negative news do not reflect the truth; the company continues its operations, and there is no situation to alarm our users,” according to Thodex’s 21 April statement.

As reported, the Turkish central bank announced a ban on crypto payments for goods and services.

In March, against the backdrop of the lira’s prolonged depreciation, the price of Bitcoin on the local P2P market surpassed $100,000.