Japanese cryptocurrency exchange Coincheck has submitted a report to the country’s financial authority outlining measures it will take following the hack that lost 58 billion yen worth of the cryptocurrency NEM from its platform. However, customers rush to withdraw 40.1 billion yen of their funds so far as the exchange resumes yen withdrawal service.
Coincheck’s Improvement Plans
Coincheck has submitted a report to the Japanese Financial Services Agency (FSA) as mandated under the Order to Improve Business Operations. The order was handed to the exchange by the FSA following the hack that resulted in the loss of 58 billion yen (~USD$544 million) worth of NEM from its platform.
In its report, Coincheck explains key areas of improvement to the agency. Specifically, the exchange detailed four of its plans: “1) investigating the facts and causes surrounding this case, 2) [providing] proper support for our customers, 3) strengthening current measures to manage system risk, 4) creating new measures for system risk management and preventing similar events in the future in addition to making it clear where the responsibility lies for different risks.”
“We plan to continue making meaningful improvements to our system,” the exchange noted, adding:
"We are continuing to confirm and improve the security of our systems in order to resume transfers of other cryptocurrencies and begin reparation payments as soon as possible".
Coincheck already provided a preliminary report to the FSA immediately following the hack. The agency then conducted an on-site inspection of the exchange as well as extended the inspections to all other exchanges in Japan.
Customers Rush to Withdraw Funds
On February 13, Coincheck resumed Japanese yen withdrawals as previously promised and successfully processed 40.1 billion yen (~$376 million), the exchange confirmed.
Yusuke Otsuka, Coincheck COO, said at a news conference that “the exchange would be able to meet future withdrawal requests,” but “declined to comment on the total amount of customers’ yen still stored at the exchange,” Reuters reported. He insisted:
"We have the funds, but we are making individual checks so there are no problems (with repayments)".
The exchange has also promised to repay its 260,000 affected customers but has yet to decide on the timeframe. The FSA also has not confirmed that the exchange possesses enough funds to make the repayments.
Meanwhile, seven cryptocurrency traders filed a lawsuit against Coincheck on Thursday at the Tokyo District Court. The plaintiff’s lawyer Hiromu Mochizuki told Reuters that the suit seeks “to allow withdrawals to private wallets…outside the hacked exchange.” He was further quoted by AFP that “Plaintiffs are demanding Coincheck return their cryptocurrencies – 13 different kinds including NEM.”