Mercado Bitcoin Hacker Shifts $8M in ETH as Asset Freezes Continue

Blockchain analytics firm Arkham reported the latest movements on November 3, noting that the attacker still maintains control over a massive $46 million crypto portfolio. While investigators and token issuers have successfully frozen over $9 million in stolen assets—largely through coordinated efforts with Tether, Paxos, and Circle—the vast majority of the loot remains mobile. The attacker’s recent activity involved shifting roughly 2,900 ETH, followed by smaller transactions, raising concerns about potential laundering attempts.

Beyond Ethereum, the hacker holds significant quantities of altcoins that could trigger market volatility if liquidated. Lookonchain analysts warn that tokens including PEPE, AAVE, PENDLE, and ONDO, each held in seven-figure amounts, are under close observation. The breach, which hit the exchange on November 2, forced a temporary halt to withdrawals while security teams worked to contain the fallout. Despite the recovery of some funds, the incident underscores the persistent vulnerability of hot wallets, occurring just days after a separate, massive security breach at Binance.