S. Korea's Largest Exchange UPbit Runs 'Internal Audit', Dispels Fraud Allegations

South Korea's largest cryptocurrency exchange UPbit said it has conducted an internal audit that disproves suspicions of fraud, local media reported Tuesday, May 15.UPbit, which saw a sudden visit from financial regulators on Friday, May 11, on suspicion officials had faked balance sheets, has yet to publish the audit data, which it claims demonstrates its coin holdings are real.

Quoting the exchange's CEO, local news outlet Naver now reports UPbit's ledgers are "100%" in step with their wallets.

Claims that a "Misunderstanding" between government inspectors over multiple wallets caused the suspicions also appear valid, social media commentators added Tuesday.

Friday's original inspection caused panic on markets and coincided with Mt. Gox trustees apparently selling a further chunk of client liquidation funds, resulting in several days of price drops.

While the matter is not officially settled, responses note, UPbit's reports about the audit would appear counterproductive if made at a time when no concrete information existed at all.

"We will see how the story unfolds, but I find it highly unlikely that UPbit would spin a narrative of innocence if they were under investigation where proof was easily seen through blockchain transactions," a Twitter-based Korean cryptocurrency news commentator wrote.

We will see how the story unfolds, but I find it highly unlikely that UPbit would spin a narrative of innocence if they were under investigation where proof was easily seen through blockchain transactions.

UPbit, owned by a subsidiary of South Korean communications giant Kakao, is the world's fifth largest crypto exchange by 24-hour trade volume, seeing about $910 mln in trades on the day to press time.