BitMart CEO Says Stolen Private Key Behind $196M Hack

The crypto exchange’s CEO said the company will compensate affected users out of its own funds.

(ETA+/Unsplash)

Hackers were able to drain $196 million of crypto from crypto exchange BitMart by stealing a private key that opened two hot wallets, BitMart CEO Sheldon Xia tweeted on Monday.

  • Hackers stole $100 million worth of various cryptocurrencies on the Ethereum blockchain and $96 million on Binance Smart Chain, crypto security firm PeckShield revealed on Dec. 5.
  • BitMart has completed an initial security check and identified affected assets, and it plans to compensate users out of its own pocket, Xia said.
  • The exchange will announce a timetable to gradually continue deposits and withdrawals, he said, adding that he is “confident” they will resume on Dec. 7.
  • The hackers used decentralized exchange aggregator 1inch to swap stolen tokens for ether, and deposited ether funds to privacy mixer Tornado Cash to hide their identities, PeckShield said.
  • A $139 million hack of BXH Exchange in October was also the result of leaked administrator’s keys.

Read more: Crypto Exchange Bitmart Hacked With Losses Estimated at $196M

ER June 2026 Image

CEX trading volumes rose for the first time in five months in June, with spot climbing 15.3% to $1.11T and RWA perpetual volumes surging to a record $311B.

Why it matters:

CEX trading volumes rose for the first time in five months in June, with spot climbing 15.3% to $1.11T and RWA perpetual volumes surging to a record $311B.