Bithumb finds ₩291.6B ($201.8M) in dormant assets across 2.6M accounts
South Korean crypto exchange Bithumb identified roughly 2.6 million inactive accounts holding about 291.6 billion KRW (≈$201.8 million) in dormant customer assets during a recovery campaign targeting users inactive for more than one year. Some accounts have been untouched for up to 4,380 days (nearly 12 years); the single largest dormant holding is roughly $2.84 million. Bithumb said some recovered balances have risen dramatically (as much as ~61,000%) since acquisition, reflecting early-cycle holdings that far outperformed Bitcoin’s long-term gain. The exchange will notify eligible customers directly and assist with account recovery; prior recovery drives have reclaimed significant sums (about $50 million recovered by ~36,000 users during a past campaign). Market implications for traders include the potential reactivation of long-dormant supply that could add liquidity or selling pressure if large wallets return, as well as renewed scrutiny of exchanges’ custody and communication practices for long-forgotten assets. Key keywords: Bithumb, dormant assets, inactive accounts, asset recovery, South Korea.
Neutral
The discovery of ~291.6B KRW in dormant assets is material but does not directly alter on-chain supply immediately. For the mentioned assets (various tokens on Bithumb), the key market effect would come only if and when large dormant accounts are recovered and their holders choose to sell. That creates potential for increased liquidity and episodic selling pressure, particularly if concentrated in a few large accounts (the largest dormant holding is ~$2.84M). Past recovery drives show many users reclaim funds but do not necessarily lead to mass sell-offs. Short-term volatility could increase around notifications and account recoveries as traders anticipate reactivations. Long-term impact is limited: recovered capital reintegrates with normal market flows and may modestly increase circulating supply, but it does not change fundamentals of the underlying tokens. Overall, the event is a neutral catalyst—worth monitoring for pockets of selling pressure or liquidity shifts, but not inherently bullish or bearish for the broader market.