Here is bitifinex official statement regarding new account registrations
2017 was a spectacular year for Bitfinex. We have seen our most optimistic forecasts exceeded and the new year will continue this trend with the addition of numerous high-quality digital assets, new fiat trading pairs, an even faster trading engine, and the launch of Ethfinex.However, this extreme growth has not come without challenges. In fact, one month ago we decided to temporarily curtail new account registration in a move designed to preserve the trading, support, and verification experiences of our existing, long-term user base.Today we are pleased to announce the reopening of Bitfinex to new accounts. However, please take note of the new requirements outlined below.New Account RequirementsBitfinex is a global liquidity source with a focus on serving professional traders and regional exchanges. We suggest that traders who are new to cryptocurrency trading try another, more straightforward platform first and return to Bitfinex later.To that end, and to allow us to maintain focus on our core customer base, all accounts created after January 1st, 2018, will have a new activation equity requirement. New accounts will need to deposit fiat or crypto to achieve minimum account equity of 10,000 USD equivalent before they can trade or offer funding. After reaching this minimum, an account becomes fully activated (Note that after this initial activation, account equity is allowed to drop below this activation threshold without consequence).Existing accounts will not be affected by these changes. This change only affects new accounts.