Shocking Cryptocurrency Heists That Shook The Industry: Are Your Investments Safe?
Cryptocurrency has been around for over a decade, and over the past few years, it has attracted a lot of attention from investors and traders. However, the digital currency market is not safe from theft and fraud. Here are some of the biggest cryptocurrency heists in history:-
- Mt Gox: In 2014, Mt Gox, the largest cryptocurrency exchange at the time, declared bankruptcy after losing 850,000 bitcoins worth around $450 million. The company has blamed hackers for the theft.
- Bitfinex: In 2016, Bitfinex, a Hong Kong-based cryptocurrency exchange, lost 120,000 bitcoins worth $72 million in a hack. The company was forced to distribute the losses among its users and issue tokens in exchange for the stolen bitcoins.
- Coincheck: In 2018, Japanese cryptocurrency exchange Coincheck lost $530 million worth of NEM tokens in a hack. The company failed to implement basic security measures, which left it vulnerable to attack.
- Binance: In 2019, Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, suffered a hack that resulted in the loss of 7,000 bitcoins worth about $40 million. The company reimbursed affected users from its own funds.
- Poly Network: In August 2021, Poly Network, a decentralized finance platform, suffered a hack that resulted in the theft of $610 million worth of cryptocurrencies. The hacker later returned the stolen funds, claiming it was a “white hat” attack to identify vulnerabilities in the platform.
It is important to note that these thefts represent a small portion of the overall cryptocurrency market, and the industry has come a long way in terms of security and regulation. However, it is still important for investors and traders to exercise caution and take steps to protect their digital assets.
