Summary:
2024 surpasses 2023 in total stolen funds with over $2.2 billion lost.
DMM Bitcoin lost $308 million due to stolen private keys.
PlayDapp faced two attacks in February, losing $290 million.
WazirX was hacked for nearly $235 million, linked to North Korea.
Chris Larsen lost $112.5 million in a personal XRP hack.
Hackers have grown more sophisticated and continue to rake in billions from crypto exploits. The year 2024 has officially surpassed last year’s totals for stolen funds, with over $2.2 billion reported stolen by Q3 2024, exceeding the $1.8 billion lost in all of 2023.
DMM Bitcoin’s $308 Million
Japanese crypto exchange DMM Bitcoin lost over 4,500 BTC—worth $308 million—to hackers back in May. The exact method of the breach is unclear, but stolen private keys are a plausible explanation. The exchange is in the process of shutting down and transferring accounts to SBI VC Trade.
PlayDapp’s $290 Million
In February, hackers targeted the crypto gaming platform PlayDapp twice, exploiting a private key vulnerability and making off with $290 million in PLA tokens. Remarkably, they ignored a $1 million white hat reward to return the stolen funds.
WazirX’s $235 Million
Indian crypto exchange WazirX was hit in June, losing nearly $235 million. The attack, linked to North Korea, forced WazirX to suspend all withdrawals, leaving users unable to access their funds. The exchange is currently undergoing a financial restructuring.
Ripple Co-founder Chris Larsen’s $112.5 Million
Chris Larsen, co-founder of Ripple, had 213 million XRP worth $112.5 million stolen from his accounts in January. He reassured that Ripple itself was not targeted, but efforts to recover the stolen assets have been unsuccessful.
Orbit Chain’s $80 Million
On January 1, hackers drained over $80 million from the cross-chain bridge project Orbit Chain, taking Ethereum and DAI. The team behind Orbit has provided little update since the exploit.
BtcTurk’s $54 Million
Turkish exchange BtcTurk lost $54 million on June 22, primarily in Avalanche (AVAX). The exchange confirmed that most funds in cold storage were safe, and Binance assisted by freezing $5.3 million in stolen funds.
Radiant Capital’s $50 Million
In October, hackers executed a sophisticated attack on Radiant Capital, stealing $50 million in tokens by using malware delivered through a PDF. The attack has been attributed to North Korean hackers.
U.S. Government’s $20 Million
Even the U.S. government wasn't spared, with hackers targeting a wallet containing over $20 million worth of stablecoins and Ethereum in October. The funds, tied to a previous hack of the Bitfinex exchange, saw a portion returned, but the fate of the remaining funds remains unclear.
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