U.S. Recovers $31M in Crypto from Uranium Finance Hack

U.S. authorities have seized approximately $31 million in cryptocurrency linked to the 2021 Uranium Finance hack, according to the Southern District of New York (SDNY). The recovery was part of a joint operation between SDNY and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in San Diego.

Uranium Finance, a decentralized exchange on Binance’s BNB Chain (formerly Binance Smart Chain), suffered a massive exploit in April 2021. A hacker exploited a vulnerability in the platform’s pair contracts, siphoning $50 million in various tokens. At the time, it was one of the largest decentralized finance (DeFi) hacks.

Following the breach, the attacker attempted to launder the stolen funds through various means, including crypto mixer Tornado Cash and centralized exchanges. Blockchain analyst ZachXBT also suggested that some funds might have been used to buy rare Magic: The Gathering trading cards.

Uranium Finance shut down after the attack, leaving affected users without compensation. Now, nearly four years later, this seizure marks the first significant recovery of stolen assets, offering hope to victims who may finally see some restitution.

No further details about the ongoing investigation or the potential return of funds have been disclosed.