A prominent cryptocurrency exchange, Grinex, has temporarily ceased operations after falling victim to a substantial cyber attack, resulting in the loss of approximately 1 billion rubles, equivalent to $13 million. The attack, which the exchange believes was perpetrated by state-sponsored actors from hostile nations, was disclosed via the platform's Telegram channel and official website. Grinex, formerly known as Garantex, had been sanctioned by the U.S., U.K., and EU for its role in enabling users to bypass restrictions. The exchange had been utilizing a ruble-backed stablecoin, A7A5, to facilitate cross-border transactions, particularly after Russia's access to the Swift inter-bank messaging system was severed due to its invasion of Ukraine.
Following the sanctions, the platform re-emerged as Grinex. The current pause in trading has left users without access to their funds, while the company conducts an investigation.
Additionally, access to Grinex's Moscow office has been restricted. A list of 54 affected wallet addresses, along with the corresponding drained amounts, primarily in USDT on the TRON blockchain, has been published by the exchange.