Highlights:
- Mark Karpeles’ EllipX exchange emphasizes transparency, aiming to set a new industry standard in crypto trading.
- EllipX launches in Poland, designed to be MiCA-compliant, and offers user-friendly features for new crypto investors.
- Mark Karpeles’ experience with Mt. Gox heavily influences EllipX’s commitment to transparency and security.
Mark Karpeles, the ex-CEO of the defunct Mt. Gox exchange, is set to launch a new cryptocurrency platform, EllipX, later this month. EllipX will operate from Poland and aims to become a new industry standard in transparency and user-friendliness. This venture comes after Karpeles’ significant experience with Mt. Gox, which collapsed in 2014 following a massive security breach.
NEWS: Former Mt. Gox CEO Mark Karpeles to launch new crypto exchange, EllipX, in Europe this month, with a focus on transparency and user-friendliness. pic.twitter.com/FGbBarIXVq
— CoinGecko (@coingecko) September 4, 2024
EllipX will prioritize transparency as its core value, focusing on providing clear and accessible information to users, especially those new to the cryptocurrency market.
Karpeles said:
If you look at the top 100 exchanges, the first few would be very large ones like Binance, Coinbase… But as you go down the list after five, six names, you won’t even know which companies are running the exchanges.
He emphasized that transparency would be a fundamental aspect of EllipX, aiming to address the trust issues that have plagued the industry.
A New Approach to Crypto Trading
The platform is designed to comply with the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulations, ensuring that it adheres to strict standards. Karpeles will serve as the Chief Technology Officer, overseeing all technical aspects of the exchange. EllipX will feature a compartmentalized structure similar to traditional financial markets, where separate entities handle trading, brokerage, and storage of crypto assets.
“EllipX will operate like the New York Stock Exchange, but for crypto. One entity will manage trading, while brokers in different countries provide localized services,” Karpeles explained. This approach is intended to ensure transparency at every level of operation, with third-party audits and direct access to customer technical data.
Moreover, EllipX is designed with user-friendliness in mind. The platform’s EllipX Wallet, launched last month, utilizes multi-party computation technology. This helps eliminate the need for users to write down recovery phrases. This feature aims to make cryptocurrency management more accessible and secure for users.
Transparency is the Core Principle
Karpeles’ focus on transparency stems from his experience with Mt. Gox, which lost 850,000 BTC in 2014. He believes that transparency can prevent such incidents from recurring and restore trust in the cryptocurrency industry. “By creating this level of transparency, we hope to set a new standard for the industry,” Karpeles stated.
I've been watching how things evolved after MtGox's collapse while dealing with the case itself, and while some things have changed unrecognizably, there is still a lot of work needed to make cryptocurrencies safe, easy, and useful for everyone. Now that the MtGox distribution…
— Mark Karpelès (@MagicalTux) August 30, 2024
EllipX’s commitment to transparency will distinguish it from other exchanges. Particularly in a market still recovering from the collapse of platforms like FTX. Karpeles is optimistic that other exchanges will follow suit and adopt similar transparency measures. In addition to EllipX, Karpeles is working on Ungox, a non-profit organization that will evaluate and rate crypto projects and exchanges. Consequently, this will further support his mission to enhance transparency within the industry.
Karpeles’ new venture is not just about launching a platform; it’s about setting a precedent for the future of cryptocurrency exchanges. EllipX, with its focus on transparency, user-friendliness, and regulatory compliance, aims to become a model for other exchanges. Karpeles hopes that his efforts will encourage the entire industry to adopt higher standards of transparency and trustworthiness.