BTC-e, the long-running and controversial bitcoin exchange targeted by US authorities last month, has claimed that users will be able to withdraw their funds beginning Saturday.

As previously reported, BTC-e – after its original domain had been seized by law enforcement following the arrest of a Russian national and the levying of a $110 million fine for money laundering violations – said it had secured "55 [percent] of the funds" originally held by the exchange, with the rest being confiscated. Yesterday, BTC-e renewed access through a new domain, allowing users to check their balances and communicate through the chat box.

In an update

, the exchange said that users would be able to withdraw the portion of their funds still available – provided that they accept a deal which would see BTC-e issue a debt token aimed at making up for the confiscated funds.

The statement reads:

Users that elect to keep their funds on the site, the statement goes on to explain, will have their funds transferred to an as-yet-unrevealed domain that will serve as the home for the newly-launched BTC-e.

"On the day the site is launched, the balance will be recalculated at the market rate and will be credited to accounts with a higher ratio than 55/45....Tokens will be credited to your account balance, which you can use for bidding and releasing codes," the exchange said.

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