Upbit's $3.4 Billion Crypto Crisis: Unmasking the Inside Story of a Shocking Fraudulent Deposit Incident

On September 24th, Upbit was thrust into turmoil when it abruptly halted the depositing and withdrawal of Aptos (APT) tokens. The reason? The discovery that a portion of these tokens was nothing more than cleverly disguised counterfeits. Unbeknownst to Upbit, an elusive entity had successfully deposited counterfeit coins into their system. These impostor tokens bore the name "ClaimAPTGift" and managed to infiltrate several accounts undetected.

The news broke through "Definalist," an enigmatic X account operated by a consortium of South Korean crypto traders. The aftermath of this revelation was characterized by bewilderment and uncertainty. Web3 Builders, a respected Korean web3 news outlet, estimated the total value of these fraudulent coins to be a staggering $3.4 billion, impacting approximately 100,000 account holders.

Amazing Korean exchange upbit incident today

1. The Largest S.Korean exchange @Official_Upbit , abruptly halted Aptos' deposits and withdrawals, citing a wallet system maintenance without any specific reason

2. Various Korean users have posted authentication claiming that they… pic.twitter.com/OjfCwhB4eV

— Definalist (@definalist) September 24, 2023

As the dust settled, Upbit was left grappling with the daunting task of resolving this colossal mess. The exchange swiftly suspended the deposit and withdrawal service for APT. In a bid to address the issue head-on, Upbit initiated a meticulous process of contacting affected users through telephone calls. They sought to explain the situation and urged the return of the fake coins.

Looking into the future, Web3 Builders hinted at ongoing efforts to track down those responsible for the counterfeit coin deposit. South Korea's stringent Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations in the crypto sphere made it likely that the culprits would face charges sooner rather than later.

One glimmer of fortune in this otherwise dire situation was the fact that the fake tokens contained six decimals, in contrast to the native Aptos token's eight. This seemingly insignificant detail turned out to be the saving grace. @mingmingbbs, co-founder of the TunaBot chatbot, shed light on the technical oversight that allowed this crisis to unfold. A system glitch caused Upbit to erroneously treat every coin from the Aptos ecosystem as an APT native coin. Had the fake tokens also utilized the eight-decimal system, thousands of users would have unwittingly flooded the market with inflated APT, potentially wreaking havoc on the exchange.

The Upbit fraudulent deposit incident stands as a stark reminder of the ever-present risks and vulnerabilities within the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

⚡️How did such a huge and foolish incident occur?

- It seems that during the process of reflecting $APT coin deposits, there was a failure to check the type arguments, and all same functions transfers were recognized as the same APT native token.
- Under normal circumstances,… https://t.co/CvDgTdqnGl pic.twitter.com/8gEx5YnOLH

— Definalist (@definalist) September 24, 2023

Even the most reputable exchanges can fall victim to sophisticated scams. However, it also highlights the importance of swift action, transparency, and rigorous oversight in mitigating the fallout from such events. As the crypto world continues to evolve, users and exchanges alike must remain vigilant, adapting and fortifying their defenses to navigate the treacherous waters of digital finance. Upbit's crisis serves as a poignant lesson for all crypto enthusiasts—a lesson in resilience, adaptability, and the relentless pursuit of integrity in a rapidly changing landscape.

Read more Mixin Network Faces Major Security Breach, Nearly $200 Million Lost