Headline:
Bithumb’s $40B Bitcoin Credit Glitch — What Happened & Why It Matters
Short Intro:
South Korea’s crypto exchange Bithumb accidentally credited customers with over $40 billion worth of Bitcoin instead of the intended prize values — a stunning ledger error that sent shockwaves through the crypto world.
What Happened:
During a promotional campaign, Bithumb mistakenly issued 620,000 BTC instead of the correct smaller prize amount due to a decimal unit error.
The exchange reclaimed nearly 99.7 % of the affected funds via internal ledger adjustments, but about $9 million worth of Bitcoin remains missing after some customers withdrew or traded their credits.
The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) in South Korea launched an official probe, and a parliamentary emergency hearing is scheduled to investigate internal controls.
Why It Matters:
This incident highlights the importance of strict operational controls at exchanges. For the broader crypto ecosystem, it’s a reminder that system integrity and human-error safeguards are critical — both for institutional players and everyday users.
Key Takeaways:
A major exchange issued too much Bitcoin due to a decimal input error.
Most funds were reversed, but a small amount remains unaccounted for.
Regulatory scrutiny and oversight discussions are intensifying.
Emphasizes operational risk beyond market price moves.
#CryptoSafety #Bitcoin $BTC #CryptoExchange #Bithumb
