The 'hackers' bankrupt a market of bitcoins

The second 'hack' in the year of the Youbit platform causes losses among investors and fuels the debate on security. Bitcoin extends its correction from maximums.

The investment bitcoin fever has multiplied in recent times the number of cryptocurrency trading platforms. And this proliferation has been accompanied, in some cases, by scandals. One of the most famous is the bankruptcy for theft, in 2014, of Mt. Gox, which was one of the largest bitcoin markets.

The most critical about the security of these trading platforms have new reasons to reinforce their thesis. One of the cryptocurrency markets of South Korea, Youbit, has announced its closure by bankruptcy after suffering the second cyberattack of the year.

The bitcoins contracting platform has acknowledged that the 'hacking' of the system registered this morning has stolen about 17% of all its assets. The company has not only closed its operations. It will accept the bankruptcy protection, and will not be able to return to the clients more than 75% of the value that had reached its investment.

The 'hacking' suffered this morning is the second recorded by the company this year. Last April a cyber attack stole 4,000 bitcoins from the platform (for a value then close to 5 million dollars). The South Korean authorities pointed to North Korea as a possible source of the attack.

Youbit had a small market share in South Korea, where Bithumb accounts for nearly 70% of the hiring, but its impact goes further to stoke the debate about the security offered by the negotiation of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Experts in cybersecurity point out that the vertical escalation in the valuation of virtual currencies could increase their vulnerability.

New falls and warnings
The warning messages on the investment in cryptocurrencies have increased in recent days from various areas.

The central bank of Denmark has compared investment in bitcoins with gambling, before making it clear that its investors, in any case, can blame the regulators for the possible losses suffered. One of the largest banks in the world for managed assets, UBS, has also discouraged its clients from investing in virtual currencies.

The launch yesterday of bitcoin futures in the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), a week after its release in the CBOE, has coincided with the stop recorded by the cryptocurrency rally.

After rubbing in its records the barrier of $ 20,000, its price has fallen back with minimums below $ 18,000. Its revaluation so far this year, however, remains close to 2000%.