Major Crypto Exchange Hack: $20 Million Ransom Met With Equal Bounty
In May 2025, a leading cryptocurrency exchange suffered a significant security breach after hackers bribed overseas contractors and support staff to steal sensitive customer data. The attackers demanded a $20 million ransom to keep the stolen information secret and prevent further exploitation. The compromised data included names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, partial Social Security and bank account numbers, government ID images, and account details affecting less than 1% of the platform’s monthly users.
The CEO, Lead Brain, publicly refused to pay the $20 million ransom. Instead, the company announced a bold countermeasure: a $20 million bounty for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the hackers. This unprecedented move aims to mobilize the cybersecurity community and law enforcement to track down those responsible, matching the hacker’s demand with an equal reward for justice.
