# BitMart Founder Flags Staff Shortage as $391,000 Reaches Attack-Linked Wallet

By Simon Yoon

Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/technology/49639
Published: 2026-11-05T23:46:15.000Z
Updated: 2026-11-05T23:46:15.000Z
Section: Technology

> The suspected transfers spanned three blockchains. Sheldon Xia said employee threats and suspected retaliation by former employees have made it harder to retain technical staff.

About $391,000 in suspected transfers from BitMart-related wallets across three blockchains reached a wallet linked to the Mercado Bitcoin attack. BitMart founder Sheldon Xia said Wednesday that the exchange’s security team is severely understaffed.

The receiving wallet was also connected to the Mercado Bitcoin attack, involving a Brazilian trading platform.

Xia said threats against employees and suspected retaliation by former employees have made it harder to retain technical staff. He said BitMart’s security team continues working to protect company data and assets.

The findings describe two parts of exchange security: BitMart’s effort to keep technical staff and the movement of funds from wallets associated with the company. The destination wallet’s link to an attack involving Mercado Bitcoin connects that flow to a second platform’s security incident. Xia’s remarks concern staffing and protection of BitMart’s data and assets.