Crypto Heist At WazirX: Assets Worth Nearly $235 Mn Stolen

Crypto Heist At WazirX: Assets Worth Nearly $235 Mn Stolen

SUMMARY

As per cybersecurity firm Cyvers, approximately $234.9 Mn from the Safe Multisig wallet was transferred to a new address, with each transaction being funded by Tornado Cash

It added, that the suspicious address has already swapped $PEPE (Pepe), $GALA (Gala), and $USDT (Tether) to $ETH (Ether)

Founded in 2017, WazirX is a bitcoin and cryptocurrency exchange where you can buy, sell, and trade digital assets, catering to both first-time investors and professional traders

Cryptocurrency exchange WazirX experienced a major security breach today (July 18), resulting in withdrawals of approximately $234.9 Mn during the early European hours.

The security breach impacted one of its wallets Safe Multisig on the Ethereum network, resulting in the loss of user funds.

“We’re aware that one of our multisig wallets has experienced a security breach. Our team is actively investigating the incident. To ensure the safety of your assets, INR and crypto withdrawals will be temporarily paused,” the company said in an X post.

As per ET’s report, citing cybersecurity firm Cyvers, multiple suspicious transactions were identified involving WazirX’s Safe Multisig wallet on the Ethereum network. According to their statement on X, approximately $234.9 Mn from the Safe Multisig wallet was transferred to a new address, with each transaction being funded by Tornado Cash, a fully decentralised protocol for private transactions on Ethereum.

“The suspicious address has already swapped $PEPE (Pepe), $GALA (Gala), and $USDT (Tether) to $ETH (Ether) and continues to swap other digital assets,” Cyvers said.

This comes at a time when the Enforcement Directorate seized crypto assets worth INR 90 Cr from Binance, ZebPay, and WazirX in connection with a money laundering case involving online gaming app E-Nugget, which allegedly operated under the guise of a gaming platform to attract users with promises of high returns. 

Law enforcement actions had led to assets totaling INR 163 Cr being seized, attached, or frozen, including cash, cryptocurrencies, bank balances, and office space.

Founded in 2017, WazirX is a bitcoin and cryptocurrency exchange where you can buy, sell, and trade digital assets, catering to both first-time investors and professional traders alike.

As per its website, the company claims to specialise in cryptocurrency, cryptocurrency exchange, blockchain technology, digital assets, Tron, Bitcoin wallet, P2P transactions, buying Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Tron, and Matic in India, crypto trading, investing, NFTs, Dogecoin, and Polygon.

You have reached your limit of free stories
Become An Inc42 Plus Member

Become a Startup Insider in 2024 with Inc42 Plus. Join our exclusive community of 10,000+ founders, investors & operators and stay ahead in India’s startup & business economy.

2 YEAR PLAN
₹19999
₹7999
₹333/Month
Unlock 60% OFF
Cancel Anytime
1 YEAR PLAN
₹9999
₹4999
₹416/Month
Unlock 50% OFF
Cancel Anytime
Already A Member?
Discover Startups & Business Models

Unleash your potential by exploring unlimited articles, trackers, and playbooks. Identify the hottest startup deals, supercharge your innovation projects, and stay updated with expert curation.

Crypto Heist At WazirX: Assets Worth Nearly $235 Mn Stolen-Inc42 Media
How-To’s on Starting & Scaling Up

Empower yourself with comprehensive playbooks, expert analysis, and invaluable insights. Learn to validate ideas, acquire customers, secure funding, and navigate the journey to startup success.

Crypto Heist At WazirX: Assets Worth Nearly $235 Mn Stolen-Inc42 Media
Identify Trends & New Markets

Access 75+ in-depth reports on frontier industries. Gain exclusive market intelligence, understand market landscapes, and decode emerging trends to make informed decisions.

Crypto Heist At WazirX: Assets Worth Nearly $235 Mn Stolen-Inc42 Media
Track & Decode the Investment Landscape

Stay ahead with startup and funding trackers. Analyse investment strategies, profile successful investors, and keep track of upcoming funds, accelerators, and more.

Crypto Heist At WazirX: Assets Worth Nearly $235 Mn Stolen-Inc42 Media
Crypto Heist At WazirX: Assets Worth Nearly $235 Mn Stolen-Inc42 Media
You’re in Good company