Germany Seizes $38M in Crypto from Bybit Hack-Linked eXch

German authorities have shut down the controversial crypto platform eXch over claims that the platform was helping criminals hide stolen money.

German law enforcement also seized €34 million worth of crypto from eXch. This money was part of the funds stolen from an earlier attack on crypto exchange Bybit.

Bybit lost $1.4 billion in February following a heavy attack from the North Korea-backed Lazarus Group. The criminal platform deployed several measures to move the funds, including using multiple addresses and using mixing platforms like eXch.

Although eXch claimed there was no wrongdoing on its part, authorities argued that it did little to verify the source of funds exiting and entering its platform.

Since 2014, eXch has been facilitating the exchange of various cryptocurrencies for its users. However, critics argue that its poor supervision made it a safe spot for hiding stolen funds. German police said that over $1.9 billion had moved through eXch over the years, including money linked to many crypto crimes.

According to German authorities, eXch failed to adhere to anti-money laundering rules (AML). AML rules simply prevent criminals from easily using platforms to move their funds. Most countries take these rules seriously and even penalize platforms that fail to adhere to them.

Interestingly, eXch has also been linked to other notable crypto crimes, including the Multisig and Genesis thefts. Even after these cases, the platform refused to block bad accounts or freeze stolen funds.

eXch announces plans to quit.

eXch’s case in Germany comes weeks after it announced plans to shut down due to increased pressure. The team claimed authorities made its operations difficult, citing a “hostile environment” as its core reason for quitting.

Platforms like eXch and Tornado Cash have faced increased scrutiny lately, with law enforcement agencies claiming these platforms are likely to be used by criminals. Surprisingly, the European Union (EU) recently announced plans to ban privacy-preserving coins and anonymous crypto accounts by 2027.

The ban, once implemented, would affect coins like $XMR and Zcash. Other regulatory measures in the EU include strong monitoring of transactions exceeding 1,000 euros.

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