Sanctioned crypto exchange Grinex blames $15M hack on Western states
Original: US-sanctioned currency exchange says $15 million heist done by "unfriendly states"
Why This Matters
Major breach of sanctioned exchange highlights ongoing cyber warfare in crypto space
US-sanctioned cryptocurrency exchange Grinex suspended operations after $15 million theft, claiming Western special services orchestrated attack. TRM Labs confirmed breach of 70 wallets, more than Grinex's initial report of 54.
Grinex, a Kyrgyzstan-based exchange sanctioned by the US Treasury, halted operations following a $15 million cryptocurrency theft. The exchange blamed "Western special services" for the attack, claiming it required "unprecedented level of resources and technology available exclusively to structures of unfriendly states." TRM Labs confirmed the breach affected roughly 70 wallet addresses and noted that TokenSpot, another Kyrgyzstan exchange, was simultaneously hit by the same attackers. The US Treasury previously sanctioned Grinex as a rebrand of Garantex, which processed over $100 million in ransomware-linked transactions since 2019. TRM said it couldn't verify Grinex's claims about Western involvement and assessed this was likely an external cyber operation rather than an exit scam.