June 03, 2024
By Anjali Kochhar
DMM Bitcoin Co., a cryptocurrency exchange operator in Japan, announced on Friday that digital assets worth at least 48.2 billion yen (approximately $300 million) have mysteriously vanished. The Tokyo-based company, a subsidiary of major IT firm DMM.com LLC, reported detecting the irregularity at around 1:26 p.m. on the same day. In response, DMM Bitcoin halted operations, including withdrawals of virtual currencies and the processing of new account applications.
This incident marks the second-largest cryptocurrency loss in Japan’s history, surpassed only by the infamous Coincheck heist in 2018, where 58 billion yen was stolen. The loss has prompted an investigation by Tokyo police, who received a report from DMM Bitcoin following the discovery of the missing assets.
DMM Bitcoin deals in approximately 40 different cryptocurrencies. According to the company’s report for the business year ending March 2023, it had around 377,000 accounts. The sudden disappearance of such a substantial amount of digital assets raises serious concerns about the security measures and protocols in place at the exchange.
Following this incident, the exchange has promised its users that it is taking all necessary efforts to investigate the source of the disappearance and improve its security systems to prevent repeat incidents. This episode serves as a sharp reminder of the risks associated with bitcoin trading, as well as the significance of strong security measures in securing digital assets.
The broader cryptocurrency community is keenly following the inquiry, which highlights the continuous issues that exchanges confront in protecting user assets and preserving trust in the fast developing digital asset market.
As the crisis progresses, DMM Bitcoin’s response and the results of the Tokyo police investigation will be key in determining the future steps for the exchange and its consumers.
About the author
Anjali Kochhar covers cryptocurrency stories in India as well as globally. Having been in the field of media and journalism for over three years now, she has developed a sharp news sense and works hard to present information that goes beyond the obvious. She is an avid reader and loves writing on a wide range of subjects.
Pretty element of content. I simply stumbled upon your website
and in accession capital to say that I get in fact loved account your blog posts.
Any way I will be subscribing on your augment or even I
achievement you get entry to persistently rapidly.
Hello colleagues, its impressive paragraph concerning cultureand entirely defined, keep it up all the time.