Bitget CEX Backend Hack — Multi-Chain Mass Withdrawal

On September 24, 2026 at 18:31 UTC, Bitget's backend infrastructure was compromised, resulting in unauthorized mass withdrawals across eight blockchain networks simultaneously (Ethereum, XRP Ledger, Tron, Zcash, BNB Chain, Avalanche, Arbitrum, Base). Bitget froze withdrawals shortly after detection and began coordinating with chain analytics firms and exchanges to trace and freeze funds. Elliptic's analysis points to North Korea-linked actors with high confidence, consistent with established Lazarus Group tradecraft (rapid cross-chain dispersal, use of privacy coins). Bitget established a $464M+ User Protection Fund to guarantee full reimbursement to affected users while recovery efforts continue. As of the last verified check, approximately $2.42M in stolen assets had been seized or frozen across cooperating exchanges and validators.