Nils Silinevics
Partner · AML & Crypto Compliance · Former FIU Investigator
Bitfinex is registered with MASAK (Financial Crimes Investigation Board) + CMB (Capital Markets Board) in Turkey. That means we have a direct regulatory path to resolve your freeze. Swiss legal team with MASAK expertise. 90%+ success rate.
Bitfinex Turkey is CMB-licensed (2024); operates as local entity
CMB began licensing crypto exchanges in 2024; MASAK enforces AML compliance; Binance Turkey (Binfinity) was fined 8.2M TL (2022)
This matters because it determines which regulatory body has authority over your case — and whether you have a direct complaint path or need cross-jurisdictional legal action.
Good news: Since Bitfinex is registered with MASAK (Financial Crimes Investigation Board) + CMB (Capital Markets Board), we have a direct regulatory complaint path. If Bitfinex doesn't resolve your case within a reasonable time, we escalate to MASAK (Financial Crimes Investigation Board) + CMB (Capital Markets Board) — and the platform knows this.
under Law No. 5549, you can file a complaint with MASAK; also BDDK (banking regulator) if bank account frozen
Under Turkish AML Law No. 5549 + CMB crypto regulation (2024), Bitfinex must conduct customer due diligence and can freeze accounts during AML investigations. However, they must also:
If Bitfinex doesn't meet these obligations, we escalate to MASAK (Financial Crimes Investigation Board) + CMB (Capital Markets Board) and file a formal legal submission. For a broader comparison of how Turkey's rules stack up against other jurisdictions, see our AML laws by country reference.
no specific crypto tax (2024); treated as asset; potential income tax under Income Tax Law
If your Bitfinex account is frozen, you may still need to declare your crypto holdings on your Turkey tax return — even if you can't access them. Under Turkey law, the tax obligation may apply regardless of whether the funds are accessible. We recommend consulting a Turkish tax advisor.
If the freeze causes you to miss a tax deadline, we can provide documentation for the MASAK (Financial Crimes Investigation Board) + CMB (Capital Markets Board) and tax authority explaining the situation.
A Turkish client's bank blocked a fiat withdrawal from Bitfinex to their Turkey bank account. The bank cited Turkish AML Law No. 5549 + CMB crypto regulation (2024) and requested source-of-funds documentation. We coordinated between Bitfinex, the bank, and MASAK (Financial Crimes Investigation Board) + CMB (Capital Markets Board) to resolve the compliance hold. We resolved the case by filing a complaint with MASAK (Financial Crimes Investigation Board) + CMB (Capital Markets Board) and simultaneously submitting documentation to Bitfinex.
Details anonymized to protect client confidentiality. Swiss professional secrecy applies.
We analyze your Bitfinex account, transaction history, and Turkey regulatory context to identify the exact trigger. Was it a Chainalysis Reactor risk flag? A sanctions screening match? A source-of-funds demand? Each requires a different strategy.
We prepare documentation compliant with Turkish AML Law No. 5549 + CMB crypto regulation — not just Bitfinex's standard templates. This includes source-of-funds proof, transaction tracing, and any required MASAK-specific forms.
We submit through Bitfinex's compliance channels — not standard support. Our submission is in Turkish and references MASAK guidelines. We also file a parallel complaint with MASAK if needed.
We verify everything works and advise on preventing recurrence on Bitfinex. If Bitfinex doesn't respond within no statutory maximum; MASAK investigations can take 3-6 months, we escalate to MASAK and pursue cross-jurisdictional action in British Virgin Islands if needed.
Tell us what happened. A senior crypto compliance lawyer — not a chatbot, not a junior — will read your case and respond within 6 hours. Swiss professional secrecy applies from your first message.