Cybersecurity firm CertiK recommended that crypto exchanges set hard dollar caps on hot-wallet holdings instead of relying on cold-storage ratios alone. It said cold storage reduces online exposure but is not a standalone security score, and that rigid ratios could slow withdrawals, force rushed transfers and concentrate key-management risk. CertiK proposed caps for each asset and blockchain based on the strictest of three limits: a share of customer liabilities, estimated withdrawal needs or an absolute loss ceiling tied to the exchange’s resources and recovery capacity.
The recommendation followed exchanges’ disclosures of cold-storage holdings after a hack targeting Binance’s hot wallets. Binance said it had replenished approximately 98% of affected tokens and would absorb the losses, but said the remaining, less-liquid tokens would take longer to acquire.
