How to enhance your exchange's protection with Coincover

Centralised exchanges are a big target for hackers, making them vulnerable to asset theft. In 2022, more than $3.8 billion of cryptocurrency was stolen and another $1.7 billion lost in 2023. Interestingly, while the total value of stolen crypto decreased in 2023, the number of hacks increased by 38.69%, from 199 in 2022 to 276 in 2023. Indicating that those who hold and use cryptocurrency face a significantly increasing risk of hacks, scams, and ultimately losing their assets.

Managing a cryptocurrency exchange comes with challenges, from maintaining security, ensuring efficiency, to building and retaining user trust. Numerous stories over the years have contributed to a tainted reputation and a general mistrust in exchanges by consumers. These include the fall of FTX, various hacks on omnibus wallets holding user funds, or negative media highlighting the illicit activities by exchange founders. Exchanges should ensure that both the operational and user funds are secure to maintain a positive reputation and foster trust among its users.

The Need for Digital Asset Protection

Exchanges may face many security challenges that, if poorly addressed, could lead to financial losses and tarnish its reputation. These could include ransomware attacks, cyber threats, loss of access to private keys, insider threats and technology failures.

Reputation plays an important role in the decision-making process when consumers choose an exchange, like any first-time purchase. Media coverage significantly influences public sentiment around cryptocurrency; bad press, negative reviews, or a poor user experience can deter potential customers. Thus, building market credibility as a secure exchange is essential to attracting and retaining users.

Exchanges have valid concerns about security breaches, especially given the landscape in recent years. In 2023, 33% of the value stolen in hacks was due to compromised keys. Despite the record number of hacks in 2023 and the value lost in 2022, many exchanges are still behind in implementing comprehensive security solutions. In the last year, there have been several hacks that rank some of the biggest in crypto history. These include the $197 million hack of Euler Finance in March 2023, the $126 million breach of Multichain in June 2023, and the $100 million theft from Atomic Wallet in June 2023.

The impact of these breaches extends beyond immediate financial loss. Following large hacks, the market experiences a sense of insecurity among potential and current investors. Major hacks often lead to increased volatility in the affected coin’s price. For instance, when an exchange was hacked in June 2024, resulting in the loss of $54 million worth of AVAX tokens, the price of AVAX dropped by 10% within hours after the attack. This can be due to reduced market liquidity and loss of investor confidence following the hack. As a result, the market instability often prompts investors to sell their holdings, driving prices down even further. This can slow down the adoption and growth of cryptocurrencies.

To counter these threats, exchanges must adopt a proactive approach to the security of operational funds and the funds held on behalf of its users. Robust security measures including threat detection and secure key management practices are crucial components of a comprehensive and holistic approach to digital asset protection.

Coincover Protection: Your Partner in Digital Asset Security

Fortunately, comprehensive security solutions are now available that address these risks. Using Coincover provides the best defence in Blockchain, offering a prevention and cure approach. Coincover exists to create a secure environment for crypto users, allowing them to thrive and live safely in a web3 world. We understand that one of the most significant barriers to the adoption of crypto is trust. By using Coincover, you can strengthen your exchanges reputation by protecting yours and your users’ funds from the blockchain threat landscape, allowing you to build the confidence you need to foster innovation and build for the future.

Introducing Coincover Protection to your exchange’s security tech stack will help to mitigate these risks, offering unmatched protection through real-time threat detection, advanced analytics, and military-grade encryption. This ensures exceptional prevention and, in rare cases, insurance-backed warranty as a cure. With multi-regional coverage, your assets will be protected wherever you, your regulators, and your users operate.

Regulatory compliance
Crypto regulation requirements vary across regions. Some require more robust security measures to protect funds than others. As the regulatory landscape continues to evolve, for example MiCA and in the US, it is important for your exchange to enhance its security measures to better comply with regulations globally. Additionally, hacks can trigger regulatory scrutiny which can leave a feeling of uncertainty and create delay in investors from investing again.

User trust and retention
A single incident on your exchange or in the industry can erode user trust. The risk of falling victim to a targeted attack is about more than the initial attack itself. The damage to come because of a hack will generate distrust from users and could lead to a user no longer wanting to use your exchange for transactions.

Financial stability
The financial stability of the exchange has a lot to play on the reputation and user retention. If someone stops using an exchange due to them being hacked, the loss of retention will result in less transactions and therefore a loss of revenue. This will contribute to the financial instability of your exchange.

While the crypto landscape is brimming with potential, security concerns are still holding many businesses back. Coincover Protection offers a comprehensive solution to empower your exchange to help to mitigate security risks and build trust with its users.

Protect your assets now - Don't wait until it's too late. Ensure your peace of mind and your users trust with Coincover. Contact sales at Sales@coincover.com to find out more.