Japan's hacked crypto exchange says $62 million worth of coins stolen

Japanese cryptocurrency firm Tech Bureau Corp said on September 21 it now estimates $62 million worth of digital currencies were stolen in a hack last week, but added that the amount could still rise as the precise figures would only be known once its computer server is restored.

The company initially put the amount stolen at about 6.7 billion yen ($59.48 million) when it announced the hacking incident at its Zaif exchange on Thursday.

In a press release issued on Friday, the Osaka-based firm said it has found 5,966.1 Bitcoin, 6,236,810.1 Monacoin and 42,327.1 Bitcoin Cash were stolen. Based on the Sept. 18 closing prices of each coin, they are worth 7 billion yen ($62.10 million), it said, adding about 4.5 billion yen is clients’ assets.

In a separate statement, the company also said it has reported the incident as a criminal matter to investigative authorities and it cannot disclose details of the hacking.

The incident came at a time the cryptocurrency industry is under close scrutiny following the theft of $530 million in digital coins at Tokyo-based cryptocurrency exchange Coincheck in January.

Industry watchers said it is likely to affect the ongoing view at Japanese regulator Financial Services Agency on how to strike a balance between safeguarding users and nurturing technological innovation.