Chilean cryptocurrency platform Orionx has begun a permanent shutdown of its business after a forensic review uncovered a shortfall exceeding seven million dollars in customer-held digital assets.
The company, which for years allowed users to buy, sell, and store cryptocurrencies, posted a notice on its website stating that the audit confirmed transfers of custodial holdings into wallets that Orionx itself did not control.
The platform immediately froze all withdrawals.
Management said the pause is intended to treat every account holder equally so that no one can withdraw ahead of others while the remaining assets are assessed.
Orionx has told clients it will try to return as much as possible, as quickly and fairly as circumstances allow, but it has also acknowledged it cannot promise full recovery.
The firm says a formal wind-down and restitution plan has already been shared with authorities and that the first stage of that plan is under way.
Orionx has also taken legal action.
It filed a complaint with Chile’s public prosecutor and, on 2 September 2026, lodged a criminal lawsuit against former executives it holds responsible.
Reports identify two founding partners—Joaquín Díaz, previously head of technology, and Roberto Zibert, former general manager—as the principal targets of the complaint.
The company alleges they and certain former staff knew about and took part in the transfers.
Some accounts place the movements between 2018 and 2021 and suggest the assets were later used for trading on other venues.
A more detailed review of Bitcoin, Ethereum, Polygon and XRP balances found roughly $6.06 million missing from company-controlled addresses, with the possibility that the total gap could grow as investigators examine additional coins.
Chile’s Financial Market Commission (CMF) has distanced itself from the situation.
The regulator noted that it rejected Orionx’s application for registration under the Fintech Law in June 2026 and therefore never supervised the platform.
The CMF stressed it is not overseeing any closure or repayment process and has no power to order the return of customer funds.
It advised users to keep their transaction records and to consider legal options if needed.
Orionx operated for about nine years and served more than 100,000 registered users without ever receiving that authorization.
The episode highlights the risks that arise when digital-asset platforms hold customer crypto without full regulatory oversight.
Users now face uncertainty about how much of their balances they will eventually receive.
Orionx has expressed regret and pledged transparency, yet the combination of an unregulated status, a multi-million-dollar discrepancy, and frozen withdrawals leaves many account holders waiting for further official developments and for the results of the criminal investigation.