Coinbase hit by cyber-attack with up to $400m losses

Hackers paid overseas contractors to access Coinbase systems, prompting a $20 million reward for information.

Coinbase expects losses of up to $400 million after a cyber-attack stole customer data but not passwords.

The largest cryptocurrency exchange in the US, Coinbase, revealed that a recent cyber-attack could cost between $180 million and $400 million. The attack compromised data from a small group of customers, including names, addresses, and emails, but login credentials and passwords remained secure.

Coinbase has promised to reimburse customers who were tricked into sending funds to the hackers.

Hackers bribed overseas contractors and employees in support roles to access internal systems. Coinbase immediately terminated those involved and refused to pay the $20 million ransom demand.

Instead, the company has offered a $20 million reward for information leading to the attackers’ capture and is cooperating with law enforcement agencies.

The breach was disclosed just before Coinbase’s planned entry into the S&P 500 index, marking a significant milestone for the crypto sector. Security remains a critical concern in the industry.

Earlier in 2025, the Bybit exchange suffered a $1.5 billion hack, adding to over $2.2 billion lost to crypto platform breaches this year alone.

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