**Crypto Firm's Massive Mishap: $40 Billion in Bitcoin Sent to Users by Mistake**

In a shocking turn of events, South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb has apologized for accidentally sending an astonishing $40 billion worth of bitcoin to its users on Friday. The incident, which briefly sparked a selloff on the platform, was caused by a simple mistake during a promotional event.

According to reports, Bithumb intended to send approximately 2,000 won ($1.37) to each customer as part of a promotion. However, in a bizarre sequence of events, the exchange mistakenly transferred roughly 2,000 bitcoins per user. Yes, you read that right - instead of sending 2,000 won, the firm sent 2,000 BTC (bitcoin units) worth over $40 billion to its users.

"We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to our customers due to the confusion that occurred during the distribution process of this event," Bithumb stated in a statement released on Saturday. The exchange claimed that it had blocked trading and withdrawals for the 695 affected users within an impressive 35 minutes after the error occurred.

But how did such a massive amount go missing? According to local reports, Bithumb's system malfunctioned during the promotional event, causing the mistaken transfer of funds. The firm admitted that it had recovered 99.7% of the mistakenly sent bitcoins and would use its own assets to fully cover the remaining amount.

The brief chaos caused by this incident was not limited to the platform itself; Bitcoin prices on Bithumb also took a hit, plummeting 17% to around 81.1 million won late Friday. However, the exchange reassured its users that it had brought the situation under control within five minutes.

But what caused this massive mishap? In an unusual twist, Bithumb explicitly stated that the incident was "unrelated to external hacking or security breaches." This claim has sparked curiosity among cryptocurrency enthusiasts and experts alike, who are now wondering how such a critical mistake could occur in the first place.

The incident comes on the heels of Bitcoin's recent downturn, which wiped out gains sparked by US President Donald Trump's presidential election victory in November. The world's biggest cryptocurrency has been experiencing significant volatility in recent times, and this latest development is sure to send shockwaves through the crypto community.

As Bithumb continues to investigate the cause of the incident and takes steps to rectify the situation, it remains to be seen how this massive mishap will impact the platform's reputation and the wider cryptocurrency market. One thing is certain, however - the consequences of such a critical mistake can have far-reaching effects on the world of cryptocurrencies.