A prominent cryptocurrency exchange, Grinex, has halted all operations after falling victim to a sophisticated cyber attack that resulted in the theft of approximately $13 million. The exchange, which was previously known as Garantex and is based in Kyrgyzstan, made the announcement on its official Telegram channel and website, attributing the attack to state-backed actors from hostile nations.
According to Grinex, the attack's level of coordination and technical expertise suggests the involvement of 'unfriendly states' seeking to undermine Russia's financial autonomy. The exchange had been sanctioned by the US, UK, and EU for its role in helping users circumvent restrictions through a ruble-backed stablecoin. With trading currently on hold, users are unable to access their funds while the company conducts an investigation.
Grinex has released a list of 54 affected wallets and the corresponding amounts, with the majority being USDT on the TRON blockchain.