LEO Token
UNUS SED LEO (LEO) is a utility token launched in May 2019 by iFinex Inc., the parent company of the cryptocurrency exchange Bitfinex. The token was created to provide users with trading benefits, cost reductions, and additional functionalities within the iFinex ecosystem. The name is derived from the Latin phrase "Unus Sed Leo," meaning "One, but a lion," which symbolises resilience and strength.
LEO was issued on two blockchains: 660 million tokens as ERC-20 on Ethereum and 340 million tokens on the EOS blockchain. Bitfinex allows users to convert between the two formats seamlessly, ensuring flexibility in how the token is used. The total supply of LEO is reduced over time through a buyback and burn mechanism funded by iFinex profits.
LEO is designed to offer multiple benefits to Bitfinex users, enhancing the overall trading experience and reducing costs:
A continuous token burn mechanism ensures that iFinex allocates 27% of its monthly profits to repurchase and destroy LEO tokens, reducing the overall supply and aiming to maintain scarcity over time.
UNUS SED LEO was created by iFinex Inc., a financial technology company registered in the British Virgin Islands. iFinex operates Bitfinex, one of the longest-running cryptocurrency exchanges, and provides various trading and financial services within the digital asset industry. The launch of LEO was in response to a financial shortfall faced by Bitfinex in 2019, where the company raised $1 billion through a private token sale to cover the loss of funds frozen by authorities. Since then, LEO has remained an integral part of the Bitfinex ecosystem, providing tangible utility to its users.