Share this article
Electronics Retailer MediaMarkt Hit by Ransomware Demand for $50M Bitcoin Payment: Report
Following the attack on Sunday, the attackers initially asked for $240 million.
Updated May 11, 2023, 7:07 p.m. Published Nov 10, 2021, 3:10 p.m.
MediaMarkt, Europe’s largest electronics retailer, has reportedly been hit by a Hive ransomware attack with demands to pay $50 million in bitcoin.
- Following the attack on Sunday, the attackers were initially demanding a ransom payment of $240 million, Bleeping Computer reported Monday.
- A subsequent report by retail news site RetailDetail said the amount had been reduced to $50 million, with payment demanded in bitcoin.
- The attack by the Hive ransomware group encrypted MediaMarkt’s servers, causing the retailer to shut down its IT systems to prevent further problems. That caused many stores, mainly in the Netherlands, to be unable to accept credit and debit card payments.
- Germany-based MediaMarkt has more than 1,000 stores across the continent.
- Recent research by the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) found that payments linked to ransomware attacks this year have amounted to $590 million so far, already exceeding the total for all of 2020. It isn’t clear what proportion of those transactions involve crypto.
- Hive’s modus operandi involves gaining access to a network to steal encrypted files, while also deleting backups to prevent the target from being able to recover their data. Hive has also been known to steal files and publish them on its data leaks site unless a ransom is paid, according to Bleeping Computer’s report.
Read more: Crypto Isn’t the Cause of Ransomware. It Might Be the Cure
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
More For You
What to know:
- As of October 2025, GoPlus has generated $4.7M in total revenue across its product lines. The GoPlus App is the primary revenue driver, contributing $2.5M (approx. 53%), followed by the SafeToken Protocol at $1.7M.
- GoPlus Intelligence's Token Security API averaged 717 million monthly calls year-to-date in 2025 , with a peak of nearly 1 billion calls in February 2025. Total blockchain-level requests, including transaction simulations, averaged an additional 350 million per month.
- Since its January 2025 launch , the $GPS token has registered over $5B in total spot volume and $10B in derivatives volume in 2025. Monthly spot volume peaked in March 2025 at over $1.1B , while derivatives volume peaked the same month at over $4B.
More For You
USDC Issuer Circle Secures Abu Dhabi's ADGM License in Middle East Expansion
The license allows Circle to expand USDC payment and settlement tools across the United Arab Emirates.
What to know:
- Circle has obtained a Financial Services Permission license from Abu Dhabi Global Market, allowing it to operate as a Money Services Provider in the UAE.
- The stablecoin issuer has appointed Dr. Saeeda Jaffar, former manager at payments firm Visa.
- The approval comes as part of the UAE's emergence as a global hub for regulated digital assets, following similar licenses granted to Binance.
Top Stories
