6.7 Million Stellar (XLM) Stolen in Massive $40 Million Mercado Bitcoin Breach
Brazilian crypto exchange Mercado Bitcoin has suspended deposits and withdrawals after detecting a security breach that resulted in over $40 million in stolen assets.
The Brazilian cryptocurrency exchange confirmed the detection and containment of an issue in one of its systems, prompting the temporary suspension of all deposits and withdrawals. The exchange assured clients that their assets remain safe and that no data leak occurred.
Massive breach details
According to blockchain analysis firm Hypernative, suspicious outflows from Mercado Bitcoin-linked wallets exceeded $40 million (approximately 217 million reais). The breach affected at least 10 blockchains including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Tron, and Stellar.
Analysts recorded the movement of 106 BTC and 2,852 ETH, with the first suspicious transfers occurring around 02:15 UTC. The hackers executed direct token transfers, indicating a compromise of operational reserves rather than segregated client assets.
Stellar focus and response
Among the stolen assets, blockchain analysts identified approximately 6.7 million Stellar (XLM) tokens that were consolidated at addresses linked to the suspicious transactions. In response, Mercado Bitcoin published specific Stellar destination addresses to help track the stolen assets in real time.
The move is aimed at monitoring the movement of tokens and preventing their laundering through third-party services.
Current status
The exchange is currently conducting an investigation, tracking the stolen assets, and promising to provide regular updates. Mercado Bitcoin has not yet confirmed the exact amount involved, disclosed which system was compromised, or set a date for resuming normal operations.
Until the platform fully resumes services and confirms the security of its infrastructure, users are advised against making new deposits. The incident occurred shortly after the exchange passed a local licensing deadline.
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