Bithumb, a major South Korean cryptocurrency exchange, has temporarily halted deposits and withdrawals of eight cryptocurrencies, including Ethereum (ETH) and Optimism (OP), effective from 10 AM (KST) on January 9th. The suspension measure also affects Kwenta (KWENTA), Worldcoin (WLD), Virtual Protocol (VIRTUAL), CARV (CARV), BRETT (BRETT), and Metal (MTL). According to Bithumb's official announcement, the move is necessary to facilitate a network upgrade on the Optimism blockchain. The exchange emphasized that the suspension is a temporary measure and that services will resume once the upgrade is complete. The announcement did not specify a timeline for the resumption of services. Bithumb is one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in South Korea, and this move is likely to impact a significant number of users. The exchange has urged affected users to refrain from making deposits or withdrawals of the affected cryptocurrencies until further notice. The suspension of ETH and OP withdrawals is particularly noteworthy as these are two of the most popular cryptocurrencies on the market. The network upgrade on Optimism is expected to bring significant improvements to the blockchain's scalability and efficiency, but it remains to be seen how the suspension will affect the market in the short term.

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