Earlier today we reported that cryptocurrencies tumbled  overnight after one of the most popular - if unlicensed - Japanese exchanges, Coincheck, halted withdrawals of funds and cryptos amid broad confusion as to what prompted the halt. Additionally, Coincheck said it had stopped deposits into NEM coins, a hint that something was very wrong with what until last night was the 10th-largest cryptocurrency by market value, and which tumbled nearly 20% overnight, dragging the rest of the sector lower as news of the Coincheck fiasco spread.

Speculation was rife: "Coincheck is a very well-known exchange in Japan," said Hiroyuki Komiya, Chief Executive Officer of Tokyo-based Blockchain Technology Consulting. "We've seen several outages at various crypto exchanges recently, so the extent and seriousness of Coincheck's halt isn't yet clear. We're all very eagerly awaiting to hear more detail on what's happening."