<Anchor> The



SBS reporting team personally confirmed the online site where virtual currency prices are controlled at will. It attracted people, intensively invested at the moment, soared the market price, and then exited. Let's check what happened at the time the price control forces predicted.



This is the exclusive report by reporter Kim Jung-woo



<Reporter> A



cryptocurrency channel opened in Discord, an online messenger in the United States, which gamers use.



The operator announces that it will select a specific day and time to control the price, that is,'pump'.



The predicted time was 6 am today, and I checked it myself.



As 6 o'clock approaches, we count down with 5 and 2 minutes left, raising the sense of tension, and at 6 o'clock, we reveal the name of the cryptocurrency that will enter the operation.



Channel participants from all over the world buy this cryptocurrency all at once, and the price skyrockets.



[It's starting to soar.] In a



minute or two, the price rises by over 35%.



It surged by nearly 70% from last night, but the market price drops in half compared to the time of operation in 20 minutes.



Those who invest accordingly without knowing that the operation was underway become prey for the price control forces without knowing the English language.



On this channel, this kind of price manipulation took place several times a week in public, and there were only two more times that the coverage team confirmed.



There are 28,000 subscribers to the channel that can only be entered by receiving an invitation.



It is large enough to manipulate the market price of small and medium-sized cryptocurrencies with low trading volumes.



[Kongpil Choi/ Senior Advisory Committee member of Korea Financial Research Institute: The market reaction has become very dizzy. So, in a situation of increased volatility, it's good for ordinary investors to just be upset. Social instability can also be caused.]



There have been suspicions that popular YouTubers with tens of thousands of subscribers in Korea introduce specific cryptocurrencies to raise the market price and earn profits.



[Virtual currency investor: If BJ just buys it, everyone lives with it. Those who come a little late lose their money. (To those who buy in the chase) It was sold in about 10 seconds at a real moment, just.]



The price control that takes place secretly and boldly.



It is aiming at investors who jumped in to make a profit without knowing anything.



(Video coverage: Ha Ryung, video editing: Ha Seong-won, VJ: Jung Min-gu)