Woofun AI reports that Bithumb has initiated a temporary suspension of NEAR deposits and withdrawals to accommodate a scheduled Near Protocol network upgrade. This operational pause targets the specific asset class while maintaining broader platform functionality.

The halt commences at 2:00 p.m. UTC on July 19, 2025, rendering deposit and withdrawal channels inactive until the upgrade concludes. While NEAR pair trading remains operational, users are advised to verify the status of open orders prior to the maintenance window. No precise end time has been disclosed, necessitating reliance on official updates for resumption details.

Per Woofun AI, Bithumb’s status as a major South Korean exchange means such operational shifts can influence local altcoin trading volumes and sentiment. Although brief suspensions rarely cause significant price volatility, they may introduce short-term liquidity gaps within the regional market structure.

The underlying upgrade focuses on sharding improvements, developer tooling, and bug fixes to enhance security, scalability, and functionality. These technical advancements support the network’s growing adoption in decentralized finance (DeFi) and gaming applications, requiring validators and exchanges to synchronize their systems.

Users must complete any pending deposits or withdrawals before the 2:00 p.m. UTC deadline on July 19 to avoid delays. Transactions initiated after this cutoff will be queued and processed only after Bithumb resumes services. Existing holdings in Bithumb wallets require no action, with normal operations expected to follow the upgrade’s completion.