Technology

US-sanctioned currency exchange says $15 million heist done by "unfriendly states"

Source

Ars Technica

Published

Apr 17, 2026

TL;DR

AI Generated

Grinex, a US-sanctioned cryptocurrency exchange in Kyrgyzstan, announced a $15 million heist allegedly orchestrated by hackers linked to "unfriendly states." TRM researchers confirmed the theft, noting more drained addresses than initially reported by Grinex. The attack targeted Russian users, with Grinex attributing it to a coordinated effort to harm Russia's financial sovereignty. TokenSpot, another Kyrgyzstan-based exchange, was also breached, with both exchanges becoming inoperable on Wednesday. The US Treasury Department had previously sanctioned Grinex's predecessor, Garantex, for facilitating ransomware actors and cybercriminals.

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