Crypto-exchange loses $150m to hackers

The Report Desk

Published: December 7, 2021, 12:47 PM

Crypto-exchange loses $150m to hackers

Crypto-currency exchange BitMart says hackers have stolen about $150m (£113m) worth of tokens from its "hot wallets".

Those affected, one storing Ethereum and one Binance Smart Chain tokens, "carry a small percentage of assets on BitMart and all of our other wallets are secure and unharmed", it said.

But the first security company to notice the hack estimated the stolen tokens were worth closer to $200m, BBC reports.

"At this moment we are still concluding the possible methods used," it said.

"We are now conducting a thorough security review and we will post updates as we progress."

And it would try to "maintain transparency" as it dealt with the aftermath of the attack.

Bitmart is suspending customer withdrawals until further notice.

Many investors recommend moving large amounts of crypto-currency not needed for day-to-day trading to "cold" storage, disconnected from the wider internet.

Mt Gox handled most of the world's Bitcoin transactions - until 850,000 bitcoins went "missing", shuttering the company.

And since then, attacks have been a constant problem for crypto-exchanges and investors.

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