WebVetted Beta
Recommendation
Avoid
Overall Summary
Scam
Why we think so

Poloniex.com is a cryptocurrency exchange established in 2014 with substantial monthly traffic and a broad cryptocurrency offering. It uses reputable hosting and security infrastructure, including Amazon and Cloudflare services, and maintains active official contact emails and verified social media profiles. However, it has a history of major security breaches, including a $132 million hack in 2023, frequent user complaints about frozen funds, withdrawal issues, and poor customer support. Regulatory bodies like the UK's FCA have issued warnings about its operations, and the exchange has faced large settlements with US authorities over unregistered trading activities and sanctions violations. These factors combine to create significant risk concerns for users.

Confidence Score
15%

Risk Insights

⚠️

Security Breaches Highlight Risk

Major $132M hack in 2023 compromised hot wallets.
Previous attacks caused losses spread across users.
Frequent DDoS attacks linked to operational problems.
🚨

Regulatory and Legal Issues

Settled $10M with SEC over unregistered exchange claims.
Paid $7.5M penalty for sanctions violations affecting many users.
UK FCA warns public against dealing with Poloniex.
📉

Widespread User Complaints

Low ratings on multiple review platforms.
Reports of funds frozen or not returned.
Poor customer service with delayed responses.

Contradictory Signals

Strong technical infrastructure contrasts with ongoing security failures and compliance issues.

Signal A: Use of reputable cloud and security providers

Signal B: Repetitive security incidents and legal troubles

Category Scores

Identity 20/100
Reputation 10/100
Technical 60/100
Content 15/100
Legal 10/100
Business Validity 15/100

Red Flags & Warnings

  • Multiple large-scale security breaches with massive user fund losses.
  • Negative reviews frequently describe frozen accounts and unreturned funds.
  • Regulatory warnings highlight lack of authorization and legal compliance issues.
  • Large fines and settlements indicate serious past violations and enforcement actions.
  • Extremely low user ratings on review platforms signal widespread dissatisfaction.

🔎 Detailed Checks & Analysis

Domain and Technical Infrastructure

Score: 60/100
Passed

"Strong technical setup but does not offset significant legal and reputational issues."

Reason: Poloniex.com uses reputable technology providers like Amazon AWS, Cloudflare, and G Suite, showing sound infrastructure.

Reputation and User Feedback

Score: 10/100
Failed

"Widespread negative user experiences create a serious trust concern."

Reason: Received numerous user complaints about lost funds, frozen accounts, and poor customer support, plus low review ratings.

Legal and Regulatory Compliance

Score: 10/100
Failed

"Not authorized by top-tier regulators, which poses a high legal risk."

Reason: Poloniex has multiple regulatory warnings and hefty settlements for operating without proper registration and sanction violations.

Content and Contact Validity

Score: 25/100
Passed

"Legitimate business communication channels help verify identity."

Reason: The site has active contact emails, verified social media accounts, and clearly states business details.

Your Next Steps

  • 1
    Avoid using poloniex.com for trading or investing to prevent potential losses.
  • 2
    Report any suspicious activity or unresolved fund issues related to poloniex.com to relevant financial authorities.
  • 3
    Check official regulatory warnings before engaging with cryptocurrency exchanges.
  • 4
    If you hold assets on poloniex.com, consider withdrawing them cautiously while monitoring for updates.
  • 5
    Consult trusted sources and verified reviews rather than third-party recovery services to avoid further scams.

Evidence & Citations