Bitget Hackers Drain $228M in 18 Minutes Across Seven Blockchains

Bitget, a cryptocurrency exchange, was hit by hackers who drained around $228 million in just 18 minutes on September 24. According to blockchain analytics firm Arkham Intelligence, the attackers moved funds across seven blockchains, including XRP Ledger, Ethereum, Arbitrum, Optimism, BNB Chain, Avalanche, and Base.

The theft was concentrated in a short window, with $228 million leaving Bitget between 18:58 and 19:16 UTC. Arkham tracked the stolen funds, showing how the attackers began moving and exchanging assets soon after the transfers.

Bitget's security notice estimates the affected amount at $351.6 million, which is roughly twice the initial estimate of $174 million to $183 million. The exchange has paused withdrawals while investigators track the assets, including $153 million in XRP.

A dispute arose over whether the stolen XRP came from Bitget's cold wallet or its connected wallet infrastructure. Arkham labeled 26 addresses associated with the attackers, giving investigators a way to follow transfers as the funds move.