Hackers stole $65 million worth of bitcoin.
Following the hacking and theft of cryptocurrency, the Bitfinex exchange halted trading and deposit/withdrawal services, causing the price of Bitcoin to plummet.
"We are investigating what happened, but we are certain that many customers have lost Bitcoin," the company said in a blog post today.
On CNN, Zane Tackett, Director of Community and Product Development at Bitfinex, stated that hackers stole 119,756 Bitcoin, equivalent to over $65 million at current prices.
The Hong Kong-based cryptocurrency exchange said it had notified authorities of the incident. They have not yet released further information on how the attack occurred or who might be behind it.
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Bitcoin prices fell sharply this morning due to reports of a data breach. Photo: Bloomberg. |
Tackett revealed that Bitfinex is working with experts and investigative agencies to track down the stolen Bitcoin. They will also reopen the exchange so users can check if their accounts have been affected.
The price of Bitcoin dropped by more than 20% following the news, falling to $530 per Bitcoin this morning. However, by the end of the trading session, the price had recovered somewhat.
This attack is reminiscent of the 2014 Mt.Gox exchange's closure, preventing investors from withdrawing their funds due to a cyberattack and technical malfunctions. Shortly afterward, the exchange declared bankruptcy.
Bitfinex is currently one of the largest Bitcoin exchanges in the world. According to the Bitcoin Charts website, they have had the highest USD trading volume globally over the past 30 days.
According to VNE
