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Tokyo-based cryptocurrency exchange hacked, losing $530M: NHK

reuters.com

251–260 of 312 posts

Re: Tokyo-based cryptocurrency exchange hacked, losing $530M: NHK

#251
post #22

How often do major banks get hacked and "lose" money?

It happens admittedly less often, but it does happen. For example $60 millions were stolen and never recovered from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladesh_Bank_robbery

This is all you could come up with?

Re: Tokyo-based cryptocurrency exchange hacked, losing $530M: NHK

#252

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's because people should stop using centralized exchanges that don't have their funds insured, and should instead investigate using decentralized exchanges. Cross-blockchain ones are currently being developed, with OmiseGO and KyberNetwork competing to be the first to launch. On Ethereum this ecosystem is much more developed, and you can choose between EtherDelta, IDEX, 0xProject and Radex. These exchanges elimin…

What is a decentralized exchange? Why would I want to put my money into something "decentralized" when my bank does a fine job? Cryptocurrencies are complicated and nonsensical at times. I have yet to see anything in this space that makes me actually think it's the future of anything. It's far too risky.

> Why would I want to put my money into something "decentralized" when my bank does a fine job?

Because you trust that your money will still be in the bank, in full, when you want to withdraw it. People in Cyprus, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe don't have that trust because it's been broken by bailouts and hyperinflation.

As long as the economy doesn't hyperinflate, and the banks don't haircut your accounts, and the IRS doesn't freeze your funds, and the government doesn't use civil forfeiture to take your money because they suspect you could be involved in criminal activity, your money is safe.

Therefore, many people see holding cryptocurrency as a hedge against that type of stuff.

Re: Tokyo-based cryptocurrency exchange hacked, losing $530M: NHK

#253
post #211
post #188

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is "Statistics" called "Machine Learning" ? $$hype$$

insinuating that the only reason people say machine learning and not statistics is just false. the term machine learning refers to a specific part of statistics that is very different from statistics as a whole.

hmm still sounds like statistics to me

Re: Tokyo-based cryptocurrency exchange hacked, losing $530M: NHK

#254

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You store the seed phrase securely as well somewhere, and if the hardware wallet fails, you can still access your coins.

So then the chain continues: You need another hardware wallet to secure the seed phrase? As someone said earlier in this thread - Hardware wallets are simply another computer that stores your private key. There is nothing inherently different about its "Hardware".

The seed phrase is 24 words. You write it on paper, you don't need another hardware wallet to secure it.

You can import that seed phrase into any number of wallet programs if you lose your hardware wallet.

Re: Tokyo-based cryptocurrency exchange hacked, losing $530M: NHK

#255
post #161

This kind of news is the reason why people should seriously consider buying a hardware crypto wallet if they plan to put significant sums at risk. I've started trading in this space with a modest amount, but as I plan to increase some of my investments I am definitely considering purchasing a wallet. I would sleep better if I knew my coins were not held within the exchange.

There is no such thing as a hardware wallet, it's just another computer with your private keys that you are calling a "hardware wallet". Instead of a hardware wallet, backup and encrypt your private keys to multiple places.

>There is no such thing as a hardware wallet

Their absolutely is. A hardware wallet can take unsigned transactions and sign them internally, and output a signed transaction. Your private key never leaves the hardware wallet.

Compare this to signing a transaction with a private key on a computer. Your computer can have spyware that can snoop on the key and steal your coins.

The hardware wallet has a burned ROM with a firmware that is signed and verified every time you use it.

Re: Tokyo-based cryptocurrency exchange hacked, losing $530M: NHK

#256
post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

NEM (the cryptocurrency that was stolen) isn't decentralized.

Why not using a web site built on postgres or mysql database to track balances then, instead of using blockchain and call the thing "cryptocurrency"?

Because one gets millions in investor rounds and the other doesn't, regardless of technical merit.

Dollar signs a person doesn't understand but sees as easy cash is the equivalent to a lightbulb being turned on amidst a swarm of insects.

Re: Tokyo-based cryptocurrency exchange hacked, losing $530M: NHK

#257
post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is no such thing as a hardware wallet, it's just another computer with your private keys that you are calling a "hardware wallet". Instead of a hardware wallet, backup and encrypt your private keys to multiple places.

>There is no such thing as a hardware wallet Their absolutely is. A hardware wallet can take unsigned transactions and sign them internally, and output a signed transaction. Your private key never leaves the hardware wallet. Compare this to signing a transaction with a private key on a computer. Your computer can have spyware that can snoop on the key and steal your coins. The hardware wallet has a burned ROM with a…

> Your computer can have spyware that can snoop on the key and steal your coins.

So could a hardware wallet. [0]

[0] https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Hardware_wallet - see under "Security Risks", both the "compromised production process" and "compromised shipping process" items are places where this could occur.

Re: Tokyo-based cryptocurrency exchange hacked, losing $530M: NHK

#258
post #253
post #211

Earlier quoted context omitted.

insinuating that the only reason people say machine learning and not statistics is just false. the term machine learning refers to a specific part of statistics that is very different from statistics as a whole.

hmm still sounds like statistics to me

why are apple not just called fruits? because there is utility in calling apples apples and not just fruits, because we want to know specifically which subpart of the group fruits you are eating or there is in the pie, not because apples are so damn popular

Re: Tokyo-based cryptocurrency exchange hacked, losing $530M: NHK

#259

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's because people should stop using centralized exchanges that don't have their funds insured, and should instead investigate using decentralized exchanges. Cross-blockchain ones are currently being developed, with OmiseGO and KyberNetwork competing to be the first to launch. On Ethereum this ecosystem is much more developed, and you can choose between EtherDelta, IDEX, 0xProject and Radex. These exchanges elimin…

What is a decentralized exchange? Why would I want to put my money into something "decentralized" when my bank does a fine job? Cryptocurrencies are complicated and nonsensical at times. I have yet to see anything in this space that makes me actually think it's the future of anything. It's far too risky.

Assuming we want to exchange two tokens, let's say, FBI and NSA.

Centralized exchange: send your FBI to exchange's wallet -> exchange updates your balance in its database, i.e. postgres -> trade for NSA -> withdraw NSA, which causes the exchange to send you NSA tokens (if they have them) and update another record in its DB.

The problem is in "if they have them". While normal banks are FDIC insured and a run on the bank won't prevent them from giving you your money, crypto exchanges provide no such guarantees. If the money is stolen from the exchange, like in the case of the OP, then you are SOL. Basically, you have to trust the exchange as much as you trust your bank. And clearly one entity is way more trustworthy than another.

In the decentralized exchange case, instead of trusting an organization to keep money safe through operational processes and tight regulation, you trust a smart contract. Provided that the smart contract has no bugs, this pretty much eliminates the need to trust the exchange. You trust it just as much as you trust mathematics.

Hope my explanation is not too verbose and makes sense.

Re: Tokyo-based cryptocurrency exchange hacked, losing $530M: NHK

#260

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I don't understand why news like this doesn't have that huge of an impact of bitcoin's price.. Bitcoin seems to be hovering around 11k~ as I'm writing this. It's been at the same price it seems for the past couple of days... Personally, I would like to understand what it really means to say "the current price of BTC is ___." It's not like stocks where you can see actual bid/ask and daily volume numbers. And since t…

> It's not like stocks where you can see actual bid/ask and daily volume numbers. Actually, it's exactly like that. > And since transaction costs and times make arbitrage impractical, the price is not even the same across exchanges. Arbitrage across crypto-currencies is happening constantly. As with stocks, bonds, futures, etc. the average person is unable to take advantage. Effective arbitrage requires large sums of…

> Arbitrage across crypto-currencies is happening constantly.

Then why doesn't it have the effect of equalizing prices across exchanges, as it does with traditional currencies across traditional currency exchanges?

I'm not arguing, I'm just asking. If I don't know what I'm talking about, I'm happy to be enlightened.

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