Ripio CEO Admits Configuration Error Caused wARS Conversion Issues

iconThe Defiant
Share
AI summary iconSummary
Ripio CEO Sebastián Serrano confirmed on Oct. 30 that a configuration error led to incorrect wARS conversion rates in the app. Users saw the peso-linked stablecoin trade below its one-peso peg, with some showing 0.95 pesos per wARS. The issue appeared on transfer and withdrawal screens, though on-chain news reports suggest it was fixed by 6:24 a.m. ET. Serrano said the problem was being resolved but gave no details on affected users or compensation. The incident comes amid ongoing interest rate news affecting crypto markets.

Ripio co-founder and CEO Sebastián Serrano said on Oct. 30 that a configuration error by its retail operations team had affected some users, after customers complained that its peso-linked wARS token was converting below its stated one-peso peg inside the app.

“Last night the retail operations team made an error while adjusting a configuration, some users were affected and we are already fixing it,” Serrano wrote on X, translated from Spanish. He was responding to a post questioning whether wARS had maintained its one-to-one value against the Argentine peso.

https://x.com/i/status/2116178768847143080

The complaints concerned peso transfer and withdrawal screens in Ripio's app. At 9:53 p.m. ET on Oct. 29, X user @LMancini14 reported a rate of 0.95 pesos per wARS. The attached transfer screen displayed that exchange rate and a proposed debit of 1,052.63 wARS to send 1,000 pesos, rather than an equal number of tokens and pesos.

In a separate post at 10:14 p.m. ET, Joaquin Viñuela shared a withdrawal screen marked completed, showing 3,157.89 wARS debited for a 3,000-peso withdrawal.

By 6:24 a.m. ET on Oct. 30, Viñuela said that “now parity has returned,” translated from Spanish. That was a user's report, not a company announcement that the issue had been resolved for everyone.

Ripio's wARS product page describes the token as a stablecoin with one-to-one parity against the Argentine peso and says users can convert it to pesos through Ripio at any time. The reported conversion rates meant users needed more than one wARS to withdraw each peso.

The company's whitepaper says wARS belongs to a family of tokens issued by a Ripio affiliate and fully backed by local currencies or local-currency instruments held at regulated institutions. It also says holders have no redemption right against the issuer and can only sell their tokens in the market.

Ripio's public status page listed all systems as operational and no incidents for Oct. 30. Serrano's reply did not specify the error's exact start or end time, how many users were affected, or whether affected users had been reimbursed.

Disclaimer: The information on this page may have been obtained from third parties and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of KuCoin. This content is provided for general informational purposes only, without any representation or warranty of any kind, nor shall it be construed as financial or investment advice. KuCoin shall not be liable for any errors or omissions, or for any outcomes resulting from the use of this information. Investments in digital assets can be risky. Please carefully evaluate the risks of a product and your risk tolerance based on your own financial circumstances. For more information, please refer to our Terms of Use and Risk Disclosure.