Bitcoin, as a decentralized cryptocurrency, is designed to operate continuously without downtime. However, its ecosystem has experienced significant disruptions due to external factors.
One of the most notable incidents was the collapse of Mt. Gox in 2014, which at its peak handled over 70% of global Bitcoin transactions. The exchange suspended trading and filed for bankruptcy after losing 744,000 bitcoins, leading to a sharp decline in Bitcoin's value .
Another major event occurred in August 2016, when the Bitfinex exchange was hacked, resulting in the theft of 119,756 bitcoins. The exchange halted all withdrawals and trading, and customers faced account balance reductions .