In a surprising move, Justin Sun, a top representative for the crypto exchanges HTX and Poloniex, recently announced plans to reward users and cover losses. On November 24th, Sun took to social media to express his deepest apologies to the users affected by the hacker attacks on HTX and Poloniex and reassured them that all assets are safe. To compensate for the inconvenience caused, Sun declared that an epic airdrop would be initiated for users with assets. However, the question remains: is this a genuine act of goodwill or simply a PR stunt?
The Airdrop Details
HTX, after confirming the airdrop, unveiled further details. Airdrop amounts will be based on a snapshot of users’ 30-day average asset balance in USDT, referred to by the company as “Rockets.” HTX emphasized that users holding assets related to the company, such as HTX Token (HT) and Tron (TRX), and those holding Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), would have their Rocket values multiplied. While HTX did not disclose the specific cryptocurrency for the airdrop, it alluded to a premium asset that would be listed soon.
According to the announcement, the airdrop is intended to “express gratitude for ongoing support.” This implies that the airdrop is an additional distribution designed to reward customers who did not withdraw their balances during the incident. However, it remains uncertain whether HTX is legally obligated to directly compensate any user account balances.
HTX and Poloniex both fell victim to hacker attacks in November, with Poloniex losing $120 million on November 10th and HTX facing an estimated $13.6 million loss on November 22nd. While Poloniex plans to reopen deposits and withdrawals on November 30th, HTX claims to have restored Tron (TRX) deposits and withdrawals. However, it seems that HTX only partially accomplished this, as Sun mentioned in another statement.
Following Sun’s statement, HTX and Poloniex confirmed that they have resumed certain operations. HTX has reopened deposits for select cryptocurrencies on the Ethereum and Tron blockchains, including its HT and HUSD tokens, major stablecoins, and numerous other assets. This indicates that the exchange is making efforts to rebuild trust and resume regular activities.
The HTX and Poloniex airdrop announcement raises mixed emotions within the crypto community. While it may be seen as a genuine act of gratitude and compensation for the users, some skeptics may question its authenticity and label it as a mere PR stunt. Only time will tell if this airdrop truly serves as a meaningful gesture towards affected users or as a strategic move to salvage the reputation of HTX and Poloniex after the recent attacks.
