Mercado Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in Brazil, has suspended all deposits and withdrawals following a security incident. The company stated that it has identified and contained the breach, noting that no customer data was leaked. While the exchange claims that users suffered no losses, it has not provided a specific timeline for the resumption of full operations.
The exchange has published a list of destination addresses associated with the incident across several networks, including Bitcoin, Solana, Stellar, Tron, and Ethereum-compatible chains. Security firm Hypernative estimates that suspicious transfers exceed $40 million, though Mercado Bitcoin has not confirmed this figure. The company has stated it intends to absorb all losses.
Tether has intervened in the situation, with CEO Paolo Ardoino confirming that the company has frozen more than 4.5 million USDT linked to the breach. Tether previously invested $20 million in Mercado Bitcoin in July, at which time the exchange reported a user base of 4.5 million people. The investigation remains ongoing in coordination with authorities.
