Bithumb’s 2,000 BTC error triggers 10% Bitcoin price crash
6.6 Markets A Bithumb staff error on Feb. 6, 2026, sent 2,000 BTC to users, causing Bitcoin’s price on the exchange to drop over 10% before partially recovering. The incident raised concerns about exchange controls.
On February 6, 2026, South Korea’s Bithumb exchange experienced a significant operational error when an employee mistakenly distributed 2,000 Bitcoin to hundreds of users, instead of the intended 2,000 KRW reward. This error triggered a rapid sell-off, causing Bitcoin’s price on Bithumb to drop over 10% below global market levels, briefly reaching around 81.1 million won before partially rebounding to approximately 97.15 million won. The incident led to a sharp, localized price dislocation and highlighted the risks of intra-exchange volatility. Some users reportedly profited by selling the unexpected Bitcoin at market prices, raising concerns about risk management and internal controls at crypto exchanges. The anomaly was quickly detected by on-chain analytics and discussed widely on social media. As of press time, Bithumb had not released full details or clarified the final status of the distributed funds.
