South Korea To Probe Crypto Exchanges, Tighten Regulations After Bithumb $40B Bitcoin Error

South Korean regulators have announced an inspection of local crypto exchanges and improved measures to address regulatory “blind spots” following Bithumb’s $40 billion Bitcoin (BTC) payment error.

New Task Force To Review Crypto Exchanges’ Practices

On Monday, South Korean financial authorities announced they will step up their efforts to regulate the crypto industry and foster a trustworthy trading environment for digital assets, local news outlets reported.

Following the “ghost Bitcoin” incident at Bithumb, South Korea’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange, the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS)’s Governor Lee Chan-jin revealed an inspection of local exchanges and emphasized the need for improved legislation.

As reported by Bitcoinist, Bithumb accidentally distributed 620,000 Bitcoin, worth over $40 billion, to 249 users participating in the exchange’s “random box” promotional event due to an employee’s mistake.

Although 99% of the BTC were recovered, the incident raised serious concerns about the crypto exchange’s internal controls. Notably, Bithumb held 175 BTC in its own books, and less than 50,000 Bitcoin between its own assets and customer-held assets, according to a regulatory filing from last year.

This means that the exchange’s system failed to block the irregular transaction, distributing assets that did not actually exist to users and distorting market prices.

“The so-called ghost Bitcoin incident clearly revealed that, beyond a mere input error, there are structural weaknesses in internal controls and ledger management systems of cryptocurrency exchanges,” said Kim Jiho, a spokesperson for the ruling Democratic Party, in a Saturday briefing.

Meanwhile, the FSS Governor affirmed that the “incident bluntly exposed the structural flaws in virtual asset trading systems,” adding, “There are many aspects of the case that we view as extremely serious.”

As a result, the FSS, alongside the Korean Financial Intelligence Unit (KoFIU), the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS), and the Digital Asset eXchange Alliance (DAXA), formed an emergency task force to organize follow-up measures and review industrywide practices.

The reports noted that the task force plans to examine Bithumb and other domestic exchanges’ virtual asset reserves, management practices, operational conditions, and internal control systems.

“We will carry out planned investigations into major high-risk areas in the virtual asset market where unfair trading practices, such as market manipulation and the dissemination of false information, are a concern,” Lee stated.

Regulators To Address ‘Structural Vulnerabilities’

The FSS Governor also warned that the process could be escalated into a full investigation if any illegal activities are revealed, adding that the incident would be reflected in the long-awaited Second Phase of the Virtual Asset User Protection Act, which is expected to serve as a comprehensive framework for the entire industry.

“While we are drawing up the second phase of virtual asset legislation, measures to address structural vulnerabilities at exchanges, exposed by the recent Bithumb incident, will be reflected,” Lee declared.

“As virtual assets are being incorporated into the legacy financial system, there remains the task of strengthening the regulatory and supervisory framework. This could serve as an opportunity to put the system in place properly,” he continued.

It’s worth noting that South Korean financial authorities are reportedly considering introducing a system to prevent suspects from hiding or withdrawing unrealized profits from market manipulation related to crypto assets.

The Financial Services Commission (FSC) revealed last month that it is exploring the proposal for prosecution measures against suspects of crypto asset price manipulation, as some officials consider that there’s a need “to complement the current Virtual Asset User Protection Act by implementing measures for the confiscation of criminal proceeds or the preservation of recovery funds in advance.”

The measure would limit fund outflows, such as withdrawals, transfers, and payments from a crypto-related account suspected of obtaining illicit gains through typical market manipulation tactics.