BTC-e

BTC‑e (btc-e.com) — Category: CEX

BTC‑e was a centralized cryptocurrency exchange that operated from 2011 until July 2017, offering trading between fiat currencies and multiple cryptocurrencies. (en.wikipedia.org)

Legal/operational identity

• U.S. regulators identified BTC‑e as a foreign-located money transmitter (MSB) and referred to it as “BTC‑e a/k/a Canton Business Corporation (BTC‑e)” in enforcement actions. (fincen.gov)
• U.S. authorities alleged BTC‑e enabled high-anonymity trading and was used to launder illicit proceeds, including funds connected in allegations to major exchange hacks (notably Mt. Gox-related allegations). (justice.gov)

Key events (dated)

• July 25, 2017: BTC‑e’s website went offline around the time of law-enforcement actions. (en.wikipedia.org)
• July 26, 2017: The U.S. Department of Justice announced a 21-count indictment against BTC‑e and Alexander Vinnik (described as an operator), alleging an international money-laundering scheme. (justice.gov)
• July 27, 2017: FinCEN announced a $110 million civil penalty against BTC‑e and a $12 million penalty against Alexander Vinnik for willful AML/BSA violations. (fincen.gov)
• 2017 (post-action): The btc-e.com domain was reported as seized by U.S. authorities. (en.wikipedia.org)

“Who is BTC‑e?”

In public U.S. enforcement and court filings, BTC‑e is treated as the exchange entity (aka Canton Business Corporation) and was associated with Alexander Vinnik as an operator/owner-operator in U.S. allegations and proceedings. (fincen.gov)

Twitter / X: @btcecom

The handle @btcecom is widely cited in contemporaneous reporting as BTC‑e’s official announcement channel (e.g., maintenance notices and later migration-related posts). (cointelegraph.com)