Bitcoin Forum

Bitfinex.com doesn't seem to give a backup/recovery key in case your Google2Factor Authenticator phone is lost or breaks down. The Authenticator app on Android doesn't have any sort of backup functionality.
On your Google's account you seem to be able to enable 2 factor authentication but that is for google authentication it seems. I.e I can't see how to backup the keys on the phone.

When you first set up GA for Bitfinex you were shown a secret key for GA to write down that would allow you to restore GA to a new phone if needed. They probably should really insist that you write that secret key down. Without that key you are in for a spot of bother if you lose the phone.

Is your device rooted? You can use Titanium Backup to backup any app with its data.

I would however test it on a new device with worthless data on your Google Authenticator just in case it doesn't work.

Didn't show the restore key at first. I am going to send them a  ticket.

Any update on this? How did you manage to backup the key?

Do you have a working device that has your google authenticator code?

If so then you will want to do the following:

• Disable your 2FA code on your bitfinex account
• Re-enable 2FA via google authenticator
• This will cause bitfinex to display a new google authenticator code both in text format and in QR format
• Copy the text format version of the google authenticator code displayed (this is essentially a private key, so you will want to store it in a safe manor)
• Open the google authenticator app on your phone, and scan the QR code
• If your phone breaks, then get a new phone, install the google authenticator app, and type the code you previously copied, you then can use the codes generated by the google authenticator app to enter the 2FA code when you need to login, etc.

I am in the same position as you, my phone crashed, I had to factory reset, and I don't have qr code or key for google authenticator. I can't sign in my bitfinex account. I send them a ticket. Any new information would be appreciated. Did you manage to sign in after you send them the ticket?

I was once in the same situation with another exchange - but I assume it should be resolved in a similar manner at Bitfinex.

I had to do two things in order to reinstate my account access:
1. Sign a message with my deposit address (it is certainly helpful, if you have deposited from a certain address often in the past)
2. Wait for roughly a week (a kind of "cool-down" period)

If you are verified at Bitfinex it might also be possible to provide certain documents to prove that you are indeed
the legitimate owner of the account.

I haven't dealt with this myself. I had a friend who lost access to their 2FA on BTC-e and they allowed him to log in after freezing the account for ~2 weeks, since he had his login, control of his email address, and could provide ID/selfie. I'm guessing there is a similar recovery protocol at Bitfinex...... I would hope that they would freeze withdrawals for a period of time in case there was a dispute over account ownership.

This is an important lesson: Always make multiple backups of your 2FA secret when you generate it. I put one on my main phone, one on an old phone that never leaves my house. I also write the code down on paper in case both devices fail.

i am in same situation, broke my phone with 2fa and didn't have backups.. i wrote an email to bitfinex and provided them documents requested, now i am in wait move but a week already gone ... hope everything will go well

Hello friend, did you manage to solve the recovery of your Bitfinex account? right now I have the same problem they stole my phone and I have no recovery key for Bitfinex, they give the option to reset the Google 2fa account but they ask that a ticket be opened and the account is suspended 5 to 15 days.