Mercado Bitcoin Confirms Cyberattack After $40 Million in Transfers Flagged

Mercado Bitcoin confirmed a cyberattack Monday after Hypernative flagged more than $40 million in suspicious transfers across multiple blockchains, prompting the Brazilian exchange to suspend deposits and withdrawals.

The exchange described the suspension as a precaution and said it acted quickly to contain the incident. The $40 million figure covers suspicious transfers flagged by Hypernative, not a confirmed loss total.

Mercado Bitcoin said customer data remained secure and pledged customers would not bear losses. The suspension affects both deposits into the exchange and withdrawals from it, interrupting the two ways customers move funds through the platform.

The company is Brazil’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. The incident centers attention on the security of a major exchange and the possible exposure of assets moving across multiple blockchains.

The flagged transfers establish a serious security event, while the exchange’s assurances address customer data and losses; the transfer total is not a confirmed amount stolen. Mercado Bitcoin announced the attack Monday, Nov. 2.