Bithumb faces criticism over automatic staking enrollment

South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb is facing criticism for using a pre-selected checkbox mechanism that automatically enrolls users in its ‘flexible staking’ service during the asset purchase process. Investigations revealed that the consent option for staking is checked by default on the purchase screens for various assets, including Bitcoin and Ethereum. If a user does not manually uncheck the box, they are enrolled in the staking service alongside their purchase.

Legal experts have noted that this practice may constitute a ‘dark pattern’ prohibited under the Electronic Commerce Act, as it uses a pre-selection method to induce users into an additional service. Furthermore, a single consent can apply broadly to other supported digital assets, potentially affecting future purchases without further explicit authorization. Bithumb’s flexible staking service allows the exchange to use user assets for network validation, charging an operating fee of up to 40% of the total rewards.

In response to the findings, Bithumb stated that the service provides benefits without penalties, such as allowing users to sell or withdraw assets freely. However, the exchange acknowledged the concerns and announced it is considering a reorganization of its consent system to expand user choice.