Did Bybit Hackers Just Launder $224M in Ethereum? Breaking Down the 2.5-Day Money Trail
Recent blockchain forensic reports have Monero price predictionexposed sophisticated laundering operations by perpetrators of the Bybit exchange breach. Over a 60-hour window beginning February 22, the attackers successfully converted 89,500 ETH (approximately $224 million at current valuations) through cross-chain transactions and decentralized exchanges.
Security analysts at EmberCN identified THORChain as the primary conduit for asset conversion, with hackers employing automated transaction patterns. The laundering operation displayed military precision - processing 2-3 transactions per minute followed by systematic 15-minute cooling-off periods between 45-minute active cycles.
Three distinct laundering phases emerged:
- Initial 10,000 ETH transfer to "Bybit Exploiter 54" wallet
- 37,900 ETH conversion via Chainflip and THORChain infrastructure
- eXch exchange processing $75M+ in non-KYC transactions
Platforms including PumpFun became unwitting participants when hackers deployed the "QinShihuang" meme coin, generating $26M in secondary market activity before the token's removal. Blockchain sleuth ZachXBT traced fund movements across 30+ addresses spanning Ethereum, Solana and BSC networks.
Exchange countermeasures included:
- Tether freezing 181K USDT
- Fixed Float immobilizing 120K in stablecoins
- ChangeNOW blocking 34 ETH transfers
Bybit's treasury maintains sufficient reserves to cover the 400,000 ETH shortfall, with CEO Ben Zhou confirming institutional borrowing to maintain liquidity. The exchange has instituted a 10% bounty program for ethical hackers assisting recovery efforts.
Security experts note the attack's sophistication suggests nation-state involvement, with transaction patterns matching previous Lazarus Group operations. The hackers' use of Binance-sourced ETH for gas fees adds another layer to the complex money trail that continues evolving as investigators monitor remaining 410,000 ETH holdings.