Binance reports $6.3 billion crypto theft by hackers
Binance says hackers stole about $6.3 billion in crypto assets on 29 Oct, in what it calls the largest heist of its kind. The exchange says attackers used fake job interviews and tampered software to compromise two engineers' computers, starting in June. Hackers kept moving funds for nearly four hours after the first theft was detected. Binance says it has replenished 98% of the affected assets and is repaying all customers whose funds were taken. The FBI has linked the attack to North Korean hackers, a claim Pyongyang rejects.
Key facts
- Binance says it detected the initial breach and rotated all related credentials as a precaution.
- In September, a threat actor posed as a Project Director to contact an engineer on a job-hunting platform.
- Binance says it detected and prevented 57 suspected North Korea-linked cyberthreats in 2026.
- Binance says it has rebuilt the affected wallet system in a new environment and replaced affected devices.
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Why it matters
A breach of this size at a major exchange raises questions about security for users holding crypto on platforms.
What changed
First published from CNA, The Jerusalem Post, The National, BBC News and CNBC