Substrate
finance

Balancer Exploiter Resumes Activity After 5 Months, Launders $2.55M ETH to BTC

The perpetrator behind a $120 million theft from Balancer has become active again. In the past hour, the exploiter moved 1,100 ETH valued at $2.55 million and began converting it to BTC via THORChain. @lookonchain reported the laundering activity on 2026-04-24.

LO
1 source·Apr 24, 2:46 AM(15 days ago)·1m read
Balancer Exploiter Resumes Activity After 5 Months, Launders $2.55M ETH to BTCSubstrate placeholder — needs review
Audio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.

The exploiter responsible for stealing nearly $120 million from Balancer has resumed activity after a five-month hiatus, according to @lookonchain. 55 million, and initiated conversions to BTC through THORChain. This marks the first signs of movement since the exploiter went dormant.

@lookonchain reported that the Balancer exploiter is laundering funds by swapping ETH into BTC via the THORChain protocol. The recent transfers involve converting the moved ETH directly into BTC. These actions follow the initial theft of nearly $120 million.

The exploiter became active again after remaining inactive for five months, as detailed by @lookonchain. The laundering process focuses on exchanging ETH for BTC, with the latest batch amounting to 1,100 ETH. This development highlights ongoing efforts to process the stolen assets.

Details from @lookonchain indicate the exploiter stole nearly $120 million in the original incident. The current activity centers on moving and converting portions of those funds. 55 million, now being swapped into BTC.

Key Facts

Recent movement of funds
Over the past hour, the Balancer exploiter moved 1,100 ETH valued at $2.55M and is converting it into BTC.
Resumption of activity
The Balancer exploiter became active again after 5 months and is laundering funds by swapping ETH into BTC through THORChain.
Original theft amount
The Balancer exploiter stole nearly $120M.
Laundering method
The exploiter is using THORChain to swap ETH into BTC for laundering.

Story Timeline

4 events
  1. 2026-04-24 (past hour)

    The Balancer exploiter moved 1,100 ETH valued at $2.55M and began converting it to BTC.

    1 source@lookonchain
  2. 2026-04-24 (recently)

    The Balancer exploiter became active again after 5 months and started laundering funds by swapping ETH to BTC through THORChain.

    1 source@lookonchain
  3. 5 months prior to 2026-04-24

    The Balancer exploiter went inactive after the initial theft.

    1 source@lookonchain
  4. Prior to 5 months ago

    The Balancer exploiter stole nearly $120M.

    1 source@lookonchain

Potential Impact

  1. 01

    Heightened alerts from blockchain monitoring services on similar exploiter activities.

  2. 02

    Potential further movement of remaining stolen funds, increasing laundering volume.

  3. 03

    Increased scrutiny on THORChain protocol for facilitating cross-chain swaps in illicit activities.

  4. 04

    Possible market fluctuations in ETH and BTC prices due to large transfers.

Transparency Panel

Sources cross-referenced1
Framing risk15/100 (low)
Confidence score75%
Synthesized bySubstrate AI
Word count155 words
PublishedApr 24, 2026, 2:46 AM
Bias signals removed3 across 3 outlets
Signal Breakdown
Loaded 2repetitive labeling 1

Related Stories

S&P 500 and Nasdaq Close at Record Highs on Strong Jobs DataSubstrate placeholder — needs review
finance41 min agoUpdated

S&P 500 and Nasdaq Close at Record Highs on Strong Jobs Data

The S&P 500 rose 0.8 percent to end the week near 7,400 while the Nasdaq also posted record daily and weekly closes. Technology stocks rallied following a strong jobs report even as oil prices swung sharply amid the U.S.-Iran conflict. Bitcoin pulled back from recent highs as cry…

FI
WA
MA
IN
MarketWatch
+6
11 sources
China April Exports Rise 14.1%, Trade Surplus Hits Record $84.8 Billionuctoday.com
finance2 hrs agoDeveloping

China April Exports Rise 14.1%, Trade Surplus Hits Record $84.8 Billion

Chinese customs data released Saturday showed exports growing far faster than expected in April while imports also beat forecasts, pushing the trade surplus sharply higher from March. The figures come as new export orders reached their highest level in two years and GDP growth fo…

Cnbc
1 source
Senate Banking Committee Schedules Vote on Crypto Market Structure Bill for May 14Benzinga
finance2 hrs agoFraming55Framing risk55/100Rewrite inherits banking-industry valence skew and lede_misdirection by centering the committee vote process over the bill's substantive regulatory clarity.Click to jump to full framing analysis

Senate Banking Committee Schedules Vote on Crypto Market Structure Bill for May 14

The Senate Banking Committee will hold a markup hearing and vote on the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act on May 14 at 10:30 a.m. ET. The bill aims to establish regulatory oversight for digital assets including stablecoins. Banks have raised concerns that provisions on stablecoin…

cnbc.com
WA
BI
Benzinga
CoinDesk
5 sources