On October 29, 2026, KuCoin announced that it was discontinuing services for users in Russia and Belarus. The decision takes effect immediately and covers every product on the exchange, including spot and futures trading.
Affected customers will be given an opportunity to close their positions and withdraw their assets. KuCoin has not set a universal withdrawal deadline. Instead, it will notify affected users individually.
Russia and Belarus have also been added to the exchange's list of restricted jurisdictions.
Here's what the announcement means for account access, open positions, trading bots, and withdrawals.
KuCoin Ends Services in Russia and Belarus: What Has Been Confirmed?
KuCoin published its official service discontinuation notice on October 29, citing legal and regulatory compliance requirements.
The exchange did not identify a specific law, sanctions package, or regulatory order behind the decision.
The restrictions cover all KuCoin products, services, and features. This is not merely a suspension of new registrations or selected trading pairs.
The decision affects access to spot, futures, margin trading, investment products, and automated trading services operating through KuCoin.
However, the exchange has not published a timetable for disabling individual features. Although the decision is effective immediately, affected accounts will be wound down according to individual instructions.
KuCoin says customers covered by the restrictions will have an opportunity to close their positions and withdraw their remaining assets.
Who Is Affected by KuCoin's Restrictions?
The announcement refers to users in Russia and Belarus. KuCoin's Terms of Use, updated on October 29, provide further details.
Both countries are now listed as Restricted Locations, where KuCoin does not provide services to residents.
The exchange also considers a user's physical location and IP address. Access from a restricted jurisdiction may trigger limitations even if the account was previously used elsewhere.
Russian or Belarusian citizenship alone is not identified as the sole criterion. A Russian citizen living permanently abroad may have a different account status from someone residing in Russia.
That does not guarantee continued access. KuCoin applies its eligibility requirements to individual accounts and may consider additional compliance factors.
The Terms of Use also prohibit circumventing geographic restrictions through VPNs, proxies, or other location-masking methods.
Users uncertain about their eligibility should confirm their account status directly with KuCoin support.
What Is the KuCoin Withdrawal Deadline?
As of October 30, 2026, KuCoin has not announced a single withdrawal deadline for users in Russia and Belarus.
Affected customers will receive individual notifications explaining when and how to close positions and withdraw assets.
The official notice also states that users who have not received a notification do not need to take any action for now.
There is an important distinction between KuCoin's announcement and MEXC's October notice.
MEXC explicitly stated that accounts without an official notification were not affected by its service changes. KuCoin does not make that same guarantee. It simply says that no additional action is required until further notice.
Users should therefore avoid relying on withdrawal deadlines announced by other exchanges or circulating on social media.
If you have received a notification, review the specified dates, withdrawal instructions, and any restrictions on your trading accounts.
If you have not received one, KuCoin says no action is currently required. Its updated geographic restrictions still apply.
If trading access has already been restricted while assets remain in the account, contact official support to clarify the withdrawal procedure.
What Happens to Open Futures and Margin Positions?
For derivatives traders, the main concern is that a position may remain open even if the ability to manage it becomes restricted.
KuCoin says affected customers will be allowed to close positions, but it has not announced a universal procedure for forced closures, order execution, or settlement after individual deadlines.
Traders should not assume that the exchange will automatically close every position at a predictable price.
Before winding down an account, review open futures positions, margin loans, active orders, and collateral committed to existing trades.
Highly leveraged positions carry additional risk. If market conditions change sharply while the ability to adjust margin or close a trade is limited, losses may increase before the account is fully closed.
Margin traders must also account for outstanding loans. Funds committed as collateral may not be available for withdrawal until obligations have been settled.
Positions should be closed through the functions available to the account and within the deadlines specified by KuCoin. If trading controls are already restricted, users should seek instructions from support.
What Should Traders Do With KuCoin Trading Bots?
Trading bots require a separate review. Stopping an algorithm does not necessarily close its positions or release all allocated funds.
KuCoin's built-in bots may still have outstanding orders, with part of the account balance tied up in an active strategy. After stopping a bot, check which orders were canceled, whether any positions remain, and where the funds were credited.
External trading software faces a similar problem.
A bot connected through KuCoin's API depends on the account's trading permissions. If those permissions are restricted, the algorithm may lose the ability to place, modify, or cancel orders.
Disabling API access does not automatically close previously opened trades.
This is particularly dangerous for futures bots. The algorithm may stop managing a position that remains exposed to market movements.
Before moving a strategy elsewhere, disable new entries, review outstanding positions, and verify that no open obligations remain.
Existing KuCoin positions and balances cannot be transferred automatically to another exchange.
How to Prepare for Withdrawing Funds From KuCoin
KuCoin has not published a single withdrawal procedure for every affected account. The steps depend on your account status and any instructions received.
- Check official notifications. Log in through KuCoin's website or app and review your account messages and email. Save any deadlines and instructions.
- Locate your assets. Check spot balances, futures and margin accounts, Earn products, trading bots, and subaccounts. Some funds may still be committed to open positions or strategies.
- Review outstanding obligations. Check active orders, loans, and open trades. Assets used as collateral or locked in orders may not be immediately available for withdrawal.
- Prepare a receiving address. Confirm that the destination wallet or exchange supports the token and blockchain network you intend to use. Verify the address, fees, and any required Memo or Tag.
- Allow for security-related withdrawal holds. Resetting Google 2FA, changing your trading password or email address, and certain other security changes can trigger a 24-hour withdrawal suspension. This matters when an individual deadline is approaching. If your account is compromised, securing it must take priority.
- Save your transaction history. After withdrawing, verify transaction statuses, remaining balances, and outstanding liabilities. Export trading records if needed.
For larger transfers, consider sending a small test transaction first, provided time and fees allow.
KuCoin has also warned users about phishing attempts linked to the announcement.
Do not send crypto to addresses received through unsolicited messages, and never share passwords, verification codes, or seed phrases with anyone claiming to represent support.
Verify withdrawal instructions through KuCoin's official channels.
KuCoin Follows Bitget and MEXC in Restricting Russia and Belarus
KuCoin is the latest major cryptocurrency exchange to announce restrictions affecting Russia and Belarus in October 2026.
On October 16, Bitget updated its Terms of Use, adding Russia and Belarus to its restricted-jurisdiction list. Kazakhstan was already listed. Some affected customers received individual notices outlining trading restrictions and withdrawal arrangements.
On October 20, MEXC announced that it would discontinue services for affected users in Russia and Belarus, with individual instructions for closing positions and withdrawing assets.
KuCoin followed on October 29.
The three announcements came within two weeks, but their timing does not establish that the exchanges received the same regulatory order or acted for identical legal reasons.
Their procedures also differ, particularly in how they address accounts that have not received a notice.
For traders, the consequences extend beyond exchange access. A functioning strategy may need to be shut down because the exchange changes its service rules, regardless of its trading performance.
Fees, liquidity, and available markets remain important when choosing an exchange. So do jurisdictional eligibility and the risk of future account restrictions.
Where Can Traders Move Their Crypto and Trading Bots?
A self-custody wallet is one option for storing cryptocurrency outside a centralized exchange. It removes dependence on an exchange account but places responsibility for private keys and transfers entirely on the owner.
Continuing spot or futures trading requires another platform that accepts the user under its current residency and identity-verification requirements.
Bybit may be an option for eligible users, although the availability of individual products, particularly fiat services, must be checked separately.
For Crypto Resources users, trading on supported Bybit or Binance markets allows them to continue using familiar analysis and automation tools wherever exchange access is permitted.
Crypto Resources provides Pump/Dump, Open Interest, and liquidation screeners, while Trap Radar PRO allows traders to evaluate setups using their own combinations of market conditions.
Qualifying signals can be executed through Trap Radar Bot, with separate Long and Short settings, position limits, and configurable exits.
However, KuCoin positions and bot configurations do not migrate automatically. Trading pairs, fees, order sizes, and risk settings must be reviewed before enabling a strategy on another exchange.
Eligible traders can use the Crypto Resources Bybit partner link.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is KuCoin Completely Discontinuing Services in Russia and Belarus?
On October 29, 2026, KuCoin announced that it would stop providing all products and services to users in both countries. Affected accounts will be given a process for closing positions and withdrawing assets.
What Is the Deadline to Withdraw Funds From KuCoin?
No universal deadline has been announced. Affected users will receive individual notifications with the relevant dates and withdrawal instructions.
What if I Haven't Received a KuCoin Notification?
KuCoin says no additional action is required for now. However, the absence of a notification does not guarantee continued access indefinitely. Users can contact support to clarify their account status.
What Happens to Open Futures Positions and Trading Bots?
KuCoin says affected customers will have an opportunity to close positions, but it has not announced a universal automatic closure procedure. Traders should review outstanding orders, bot activity, margin liabilities, and their individual instructions.
Can I Move From KuCoin to Bybit?
Yes, if you meet Bybit's eligibility requirements and the services you need are available. Assets must be transferred using supported networks, and trading strategies must be configured again. Crypto Resources supports automated trading on Bybit and Binance.
Conclusion
Effective October 29, 2026, KuCoin is discontinuing services for users in Russia and Belarus. The restrictions cover the entire platform, including trading and automated strategies.
The exchange has not set a universal withdrawal deadline. Affected customers will receive individual instructions for closing positions and withdrawing their assets.
Open futures positions, margin liabilities, and trading bots require particular attention. Stopping an algorithm or losing API access does not guarantee that outstanding positions have been closed.
If you have received a KuCoin notification, follow the deadlines specified for your account. If you have not, the exchange says no additional action is required for now, although its updated geographic restrictions remain in effect.
Last updated: October 30, 2026. Based on KuCoin's official announcement of October 29 and its Terms of Use. Individual deadlines and available account actions may vary. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or investment advice.