NEAR Intents Hit by $3.8M Security Breach as Hacker Demands Ransom
A cross-chain swap layer called NEAR Intents has been hit by a security breach that resulted in over $3.8 million being lost on October 1, 2026.
The project team immediately closed the vulnerable point in its smart contract and suspended all deposits and withdrawals across eleven connected blockchain networks, including BNB Smart Chain, Polygon, TON, Optimism, Avalanche, Stellar, Monad, X Layer, ADI, Scroll, and Plasma.
An investigation found that the vulnerability stemmed from the complex handover between the Omni deposit-and-withdrawal layer and the upper-level NEAR Intents contract. The sequencing issue allowed unauthorized withdrawals to bypass standard deposit verification checks.
The hacker behind the breach has issued a 48-hour ultimatum, demanding terms before potentially dispersing the remaining stolen funds. The project team has promised a full reimbursement of all affected user funds but has not established a specific timetable.