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ATOM Plunges 6% as North Korea Links Trigger Security Concerns

Cosmos token faces significant selling pressure amid geopolitical tensions and broader market uncertainty.

Jun 17, 2025, 3:00 p.m.
ATOM/USD (CoinDesk Data)
ATOM/USD (CoinDesk Data)

What to know:

  • Former Cosmos developer with North Korea links prompts security overhaul at Interchain Labs, with audits showing no current vulnerabilities in ATOM's codebase.
  • ATOM experienced a significant downward trend over 24 hours, falling from $4.276 to $4.086, representing a 5.52% decline.
  • Overall momentum remains bearish with lower highs forming across multiple timeframes.

The discovery of a North Korea-linked developer who contributed to Cosmos code between 2022-2024 has triggered enhanced security measures, while major exchanges expand staking options for ATOM holders despite market pressure.

ATOM is currently trading at $4.086 after losing 5.52% of its value over the past 24 hours.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW
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Technical analysis

  • A sharp sell-off occurred during 22:00-23:00 hours on June 16th with exceptionally high volume (1.4M+), establishing resistance at $4.29.
  • Support emerged around $4.06-$4.07 with increasing volume, suggesting potential stabilization.
  • Overall momentum remains bearish with lower highs forming across multiple timeframes.
  • A notable recovery occurred in the last hour, climbing from $4.077 to $4.084 (0.17% increase).
  • Significant bullish momentum between 13:24-13:30 saw ATOM surge from $4.076 to $4.096 on elevated volume.
  • The hourly close at $4.084 suggests stabilization above the $4.07 support level.

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KuCoin Hits Record Market Share as 2025 Volumes Outpace Crypto Market

16:9 Image

KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.

What to know:

  • KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
  • This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
  • Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
  • Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
  • Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.

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Here is why investors are snubbing Michael Saylor’s 10% dividend offer in Europe

Strategy Executive Chairman Michael Saylor (Danny Nelson, modified by CoinDesk)

Access and market structure issues limit adoption of Strategy’s first non U.S. perpetual preferred, Stream.

What to know:

  • Stream (STRE) is Strategy’s euro-denominated perpetual preferred stock, positioned as a European counterpart to the firm’s high-yield preferred Stretch (STRC).
  • Khing Oei, founder and CEO of Treasury, says adoption has been constrained by poor accessibility and opaque price discovery.