MimbleWimble is an upgrade enabling users to achieve much-needed privacy while transacting on the network. The MimbleWimble upgrade was first proposed in November 2019 through a Litecoin Improvement Proposal. At the time, the Litecoin developers aimed to further focus on improving anonymity between senders and receivers.
Following the MimbleWimble upgrade at Litecoin block 2,257,920, users could opt for moe transaction privacy and explore other benefits, including blocks containing less needless transaction data. More specifically, long transactions are broken down into a single transfer by recording one input-output pair.
The MimbleWimble Extension Blocks (MWEB) upgrade was successfully activated on May 19, 2022. However, the upgrade puts Litecoin in the crosshairs of regulators who do not take kindly to privacy-capable cryptocurrencies.
Some effects of the upgrade became rather apparent when several South Korean exchanges started delisting Litecoin from their platforms shortly after the MWEB upgrade went into effect. Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit and Gopax have delisted LTC over the MimbleWimble upgrade, due to how it makes it impossible for these companies to adhere to the Act on the Reporting and Use of Specific Financial Transaction Information. Per South Korean regulation, crypto exchanges need to mitigate money laundering and illicit activities at all costs. That means removing any currencies that provide users with additional privacy or anonymity.