{
  "id": 17296019,
  "title": "Binance hackers raced to move billions before it could be frozen",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/binance-hackers-raced-to-move-billions-before-it-could-be-frozen",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-30T22:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Cointelegraph",
    "slug": "cointelegraph",
    "url": "https://cointelegraph.com/magazine/binance-hackers-raced-to-move-billions-before-could-be-frozen"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Attackers behind the largest crypto hack in history stole $6.3 billion worth of cryptocurrency from Binance. They raced to convert the stolen stablecoins like USDT and USDC, which can be frozen by token issuers, into decentralized cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ether that are harder to immobilize. Industry players like Tether and Circle moved swiftly to blacklist the attacker's addresses and freeze billions of dollars in assets. Binance reported that about $3 billion of the stolen assets were frozen onchain. Despite efforts, the hackers still control billions of dollars in stolen cryptocurrency. The attackers also moved funds through decentralized protocols such as Aave, depositing stolen USDT and borrowing wrapped Ether. However, even in these cases, the protocol could only immobilize the funds, not automatically return them to Binance or users. Binance is working with law enforcement to recover the stolen assets and has pledged to cover any losses using its Secure Asset Fund for Users (SAFU) and company funds.",
  "summary": "Attackers raced to convert stolen stablecoins into crypto that issuers could not freeze as industry players like Tether and Circle moved to immobilize billions of dollars in assets.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 8,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Techmeme",
        "title": "Binance says it has reserved $6.34B+ in company funds, including $5B already held in impacted token assets, to deal with the fallout from the $6.3B hack (Rajveer Singh Pardesi/Reuters)",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/binance-says-it-has-reserved-6-34b-in-company-funds-including-5b",
        "published": "2026-10-30T14:30:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Nikkei Asia",
        "title": "Binance suspends withdrawals and freezes funds after $6.3bn hack",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/binance-suspends-withdrawals-and-freezes-funds-after-6-3bn-hack",
        "published": "2026-10-30T14:51:51.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Mashable",
        "title": "The $6.3 billion Binance hack has been linked to North Korean hackers",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/the-6-3-billion-binance-hack-has-been-linked-to-north-korean-hackers",
        "published": "2026-10-30T17:16:29.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CNBC",
        "title": "Binance hack: Investigators in a 'cat and mouse game' to recover $6.3 billion in stolen funds",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/binance-hack-investigators-in-a-cat-and-mouse-game-to-recover-6-3",
        "published": "2026-10-30T18:08:07.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Yonhap News",
        "title": "(2nd LD) N. Korean hackers blamed for record US$6.36 bln Binance cryptocurrency theft: U.S. firm",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/2nd-ld-n-korean-hackers-blamed-for-record-us-6-36-bln-binance",
        "published": "2026-10-30T21:13:28.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Hill",
        "title": "Trump says US looking into Binance hack: 'We don't know' if North Korea responsible",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/trump-says-us-looking-into-binance-hack-we-dont-know-if-north-korea",
        "published": "2026-10-30T21:46:44.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Bangkok Post Business",
        "title": "Binance hack prompts Thai scrutiny",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/binance-hack-prompts-thai-scrutiny",
        "published": "2026-10-30T22:01:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}