Woofun AI reports that South Korean exchange Bithumb will suspend deposit and withdrawal services for Stellar (XLM) and AQUA starting July 7 at 10:00 a.m. UTC to support a scheduled network upgrade. The halt targets asset transfers specifically, leaving trading pairs active while preventing users from moving funds into or out of their wallets during the maintenance window.

The suspension remains in effect until the Stellar blockchain upgrade concludes and the exchange verifies network stability. Bithumb advises users to finalize any pending transactions before the cutoff to prevent delays, with a separate announcement expected once services resume, typically within a few hours of completion.

Structurally, this event mirrors routine maintenance protocols seen across the industry, similar to past suspensions for Bitcoin and Ethereum during their respective protocol updates. Such upgrades are essential for enhancing blockchain security, scalability, and functionality, often introducing new features or patching vulnerabilities as part of the network lifecycle.

Woofun AI data shows that while trading continues, the inability to transfer assets creates short-term liquidity constraints for traders relying on rapid inter-exchange movements or arbitrage strategies. Both XLM and AQUA, the latter built directly on the Stellar network, face identical operational restrictions due to their shared infrastructure dependency.

As one of South Korea's largest exchanges by volume, Bithumb prioritizes fund safety and network compatibility through these precautionary measures. This standard operational procedure does not indicate a security breach but underscores the necessity for traders to monitor maintenance schedules closely when holding assets on platforms with strict upgrade timelines.