Korean Crypto Exchange Bithumb to Restart User Registrations

South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb is reportedly renewing its contract with Nonghyup Bank after solving issues prompted by a June hack.

AccessTimeIconAug 29, 2018 at 9:30 a.m. UTC
Updated Aug 18, 2021 at 9:43 p.m. UTC

Presented By Icon

Election 2024 coverage presented by

Stand with crypto

Bithumb, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in South Korea, is reportedly renewing its contract with the country's Nonghyup Bank – a move that will allow the firm to once more accept new account registrations.

Korean news agency Yonhap reports on Wednesday that Bithumb and Nonghyup are planning to sign the contract on Aug. 30 in order to allow the exchange to assign new so-called real-name virtual accounts to cryptocurrency traders.

  • Bitcoin Mining in the U.S. Will Become 'a Lot More Decentralized': Core Scientific CEO
    13:18
    Bitcoin Mining in the U.S. Will Become 'a Lot More Decentralized': Core Scientific CEO
  • Binance to Discontinue Its Nigerian Naira Services After Government Scrutiny
    05:10
    Binance to Discontinue Its Nigerian Naira Services After Government Scrutiny
  • The first video of the year 2024
    04:07
    The first video of the year 2024
  • The last regression video of the year 3.67.0
    40:07
    The last regression video of the year 3.67.0
  • As previously reported by CoinDesk, Bithumb announced the suspension of its new account registration service on July 31, putting it down to a "service improvement process." Reports at the time suggested the halt was forced upon the exchange because the bank was insisting on changes following the exchange's $31 million hack in June.

    Currently, banks in South Korea can provide account services for crypto exchanges to deposit users' assets on their behalf. However, each virtual account dedicated to a specific user within the exchange's deposit account must be paired with the user's verified identity so that banks can monitor the flow of the funds for anti-money laundering purposes.

    Under the country's regulations, users' accounts must also be separated from company accounts that, for instance, store an exchange's own operating funds.

    Following the July suspension note, 24-hour trading volume on Bithumb took a hit and dropped by 40 percent within just three days, from around $350 million on July 31 to $200 million on Aug. 3.

    Daily trading volume further declined to around $71.7 million by Aug. 23, but had rebounded to over $344 million at press time, data from CoinMarketCap shows.

    Bithumb image via CoinDesk

    Disclosure

    Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

    CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.


    Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.