Luno customers in regions the exchange is leaving have reached the final normal withdrawal window.
The exchange says affected accounts will be permanently closed on September 1, 2026. The last day to sell crypto and withdraw the resulting fiat balance to a bank account is August 31.
The deadline is more consequential than a routine account migration because affected users can no longer send crypto to another wallet or exchange through the normal Luno flow. That transfer option ended on June 29.
For customers who still hold assets on Luno, the standard exit path is now essentially:
sell crypto → withdraw fiat to a bank account → complete the process before August 31.
Which users are affected?
Luno describes the change as a withdrawal from selected regions rather than a global shutdown of the exchange.
The company says it is refocusing on its core markets across Africa and Southeast Asia.
Affected customers should rely on the notice attached to their account and Luno's region-specific guidance to determine whether the closure applies to them.
The important point is that this is not evidence that every Luno account worldwide is closing.
It is a regional market-exit event.
The Luno exit timeline
The wind-down has happened in stages.
June 1: funding and buying restrictions
From June 1, affected users could no longer add additional funds, buy crypto or receive crypto into the account.
Users could still sell, withdraw and send crypto.
June 29: external crypto sends ended
June 29 was the final deadline for users who wanted to keep their crypto as crypto and move it to an external wallet or another exchange.
After that date, the normal external-send function became unavailable for affected accounts.
August 31: final normal bank withdrawal date
Affected users can still sell their remaining crypto and withdraw fiat to a linked bank account through August 31.
Any pending rewards are also expected to be credited so they can be withdrawn before closure.
September 1: accounts close
From September 1, affected accounts are permanently closed and users lose normal access to their Luno wallet.
What if funds are still in the account after September 1?
Luno says larger remaining balances can still be handled manually.
If the balance is above the equivalent of $10, the user can contact Luno support and provide the registered email address and verified bank details. In some cases, a bank statement may also be required.
That route is meaningfully less convenient than withdrawing before the deadline. It introduces dependence on support availability, identity verification and manual review.
What happens to small balances?
Luno says balances below the equivalent of $10 may be too small to process because of minimum transaction thresholds.
According to the exchange's guidance, those balances may be retained after September 1 in line with its Terms of Use.
Before the account closes, users should check fiat dust, crypto dust, rewards, unsettled orders, pending withdrawals and bank-account verification.
Fees after the closure deadline
Leaving funds behind can also become expensive.
Luno's guidance says a $2 monthly inactivity fee applies to remaining balances from September 2026.
From December 2026, an additional $50 monthly dormancy fee can apply for continued storage.
For small and medium balances, those fees can become economically material.
Is Luno insolvent?
There is no public evidence in the closure notice that establishes an insolvency event.
Luno says the decision is about concentrating on core markets.
That makes this risk structurally different from cases such as AscendEX, where customer withdrawals are suspended in the context of a financial restructuring and possible insolvency process.
For Luno, the immediate issue is deadline and access risk, not a confirmed balance-sheet shortfall.
Why this still deserves a High risk rating
A voluntary market exit can still create significant user harm if deadlines are missed.
For affected users, the window for controlling *how* assets leave the platform has narrowed over time.
They can no longer simply transfer crypto to self-custody. The remaining normal option requires liquidation into fiat and a functioning bank withdrawal.
After September 1, the process moves into manual support.
What users should save before the account closes
Users should download records before normal account access disappears.
Useful documents include wallet statements, trade history, deposit and withdrawal history, transaction hashes, fiat withdrawal confirmations, account and KYC records, and tax-relevant transaction data.
CEXVia assessment
Risk level: High — Operational / Market Exit
Luno's regional exit appears orderly and the deadlines are publicly documented.
The main risk is now user execution.
Customers who act before August 31 retain the simplest normal withdrawal path. Customers who leave balances until after account closure become dependent on manual support, minimum thresholds and potentially significant ongoing fees.
This is not currently a solvency alert.
What to watch next
- whether the August 31 deadline changes;
- reports of failed bank withdrawals;
- support delays after September 1;
- whether manual withdrawals operate as described;
- treatment of balances below minimum thresholds;
- any regulator notices concerning the regional exits.
FAQ
When does Luno close affected accounts?
Affected regional accounts are scheduled to close permanently on September 1, 2026.
What is the final normal withdrawal date?
August 31, 2026 is the final day to sell crypto and withdraw funds to a bank account through the normal process.
Can users send crypto to another wallet?
Not through the normal affected-account flow. The deadline for external crypto sends was June 29, 2026.
Can users recover money after the account closes?
Luno says balances above the equivalent of $10 can be processed through a manual withdrawal process after account closure, subject to verification.
Is Luno shutting down globally?
No. The guidance describes an exit from selected regions while Luno focuses on core markets in Africa and Southeast Asia.
*This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal or investment advice.*