Binance Says Hackers Stole $6.3 Billion and Restarts Withdrawals

Overview

• The theft occurred on Thursday, Oct. 29, when attackers moved roughly $6.3 billion from Binance in a matter of minutes and forced the exchange to halt withdrawals for an internal probe.
• The FBI and multiple blockchain analytics firms have attributed the operation to a DPRK‑linked elite group called TraderTraitor, a conclusion North Korea has publicly denied.
• Binance resumed customer withdrawals in phases over the weekend, saying it has replaced about 90–95% of the stolen assets using corporate treasury, insurance and its SAFU emergency fund.
• Customers withdrew large sums after reopenings, with Binance reporting roughly $4.7 billion in net outflows since withdrawals resumed, while the company says trading volumes and deposits have been stabilizing.
• A separate incident at Brazilian exchange Mercado Bitcoin led to temporary suspension of deposits and withdrawals and the blocking of tens of millions of dollars in transfers, highlighting broader exchange hot‑wallet risks and raising new questions about recovery, regulation and the role of AI in attacks.