Binance CEO: Bitcoin Futures Platform ‘SAFU’ After Attack False Alarm

The CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Binance has dispelled fears a bad actor had attacked its newly-launched Bitcoin futures platform.

Technical error crashed Bitcoin price

In a series of tweets on Sept. 16, Changpeng Zhao, also known as CZ, initially warned that the exchange’s futures were under attack from one of its own market makers.

The perpetrator allegedly crashed the BTC/USD order book from $10,324 to $10,024, in what Zhao said was the second such attempt at an attack.

Binance launched its futures platform in invite-only mode following a user testing period earlier this month. Two platforms were originally available, with users voting for their preferred choice.

As Cointelegraph reported, despite criticism of both options’ technical characteristics, uptake was brisk, with open interest reaching $150 million last week.

CZ: Only “attacker” lost money

In the event, the attack turned out to be a false alarm, originating from a technical error on the market marker side.

The entity remains unknown, Zhao only revealing it was also an operator of Bitcoin futures. Due to Binance’s own settings, meanwhile, the $300 dip did not liquidate other traders’ positions; only the accidental attacker lost funds.

“NO ONE was liquidated, as we use the index price (not futures prices) for liquidations (our innovation). Only the attacker lost a bunch of money, and that was that,” he confirmed.

Binance forms one of two major Bitcoin futures offerings to hit the market this month. The other, due on Sept. 23, comes from institutional trading platform Bakkt.