The dominant cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, sustains its value over $43,000 as investors regain interest. Following an alert on LINK Coin, its worth surged past $18. Meanwhile, certain alternative cryptocurrencies are experiencing noteworthy double-digit growth. This summary captures the latest trends and security concerns within the cryptocurrency realm.
Cryptocurrency Security Challenges
Binance intervened to freeze $4.2 million worth of assets stolen from Chris Larsen, a co-founder of Ripple, following a theft targeting his XRP holdings. These assets are set to be returned to Larsen. Additionally, three suspects have been connected to a sim-swap heist that targeted the FTX exchange, leading to a staggering loss of $400 million. The primary suspects include FTX’s founder and staff members. In a related move, Polygon Labs has cut down its workforce by 19% to bolster organizational performance.
XRP Theft and Recovery
In a heist targeting Ripple’s co-founder’s wallet, thieves made off with $112 million in XRP tokens. The quick transfer of these assets to centralized exchanges provided an opportunity for Binance to promptly freeze and secure $4.2 million of the stolen funds. Binance CEO Richard Teng extended gratitude to ZachXBT and Ripple for their collaboration in this effort.
FTX Exchange Hack Details
The United States prosecutors have identified three culprits behind a series of sim-swap attacks, including the one that breached the FTX exchange during its insolvency, resulting in a loss of $400 million. The indictment by U.S. prosecutors names Robert Powell, Carter Rohn, and Emily Hernandez as the individuals who cloned SIM cards of 50 victims. Blockchain security company Elliptic hinted at FTX being the unnamed victim entity in this criminal case.
Polygon Labs Streamlines Workforce
Marc Boiron, CEO of Polygon, announced the dismissal of 60 employees in an effort to sharpen the company’s performance, while also increasing the salaries of the remaining staff by 15%. This follows a previous workforce reduction that took place at the start of the previous year. The trend of layoffs mirrors those from 2023, persisting within the tech and finance sectors, with major corporations like BlackRock also announcing significant cuts.