Coinbase Hack Attacker Converts $5M DAI to USDC Before Cross-Chain Transfer

ZachXBT reports that the attacker moved funds through Circle’s protocol without intervention, as USDC was not frozen during a critical 35-minute holding period.

USDC
DAI

Summary

Blockchain investigator ZachXBT revealed that an address tied to the Coinbase hack converted 5 million DAI into 5 million USDC and held the funds for about 35 minutes before transferring them via a cross-chain bridge. The transfer included use of Circle’s Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP), but Circle did not freeze the USDC during this timeframe. The broader hack involved over $300 million in stolen funds, facilitated by a bribed Coinbase customer service employee.

Terms & Concepts
  • DAI: A decentralized stablecoin on the Ethereum blockchain, pegged to the US dollar and governed by the MakerDAO protocol.
  • USDC: A centralized, dollar-pegged stablecoin issued by Circle and fully backed by US dollar reserves.
  • Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP): Circle’s official interoperability protocol that enables native transfers of USDC across multiple blockchain networks.