Ripple Co-Founder Chris Larsen Faces Massive XRP Hack

By Brylle Uytiepo • February 1, 2024

Ripple Co-Founder Chris Larsen Faces Massive XRP Hack

In an unexpected turn of events, Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen lost an astounding 213 million XRP due to a significant cryptocurrency breach. According to early reports, the blockchain-based payments startup Ripple had a cyberattack involving XRP worth approximately $112.5 million. Larsen distanced the organization from the breach, stating that it was his personal account that was hacked.

Image source: Getty Images

Crypto Investigator Reveals the Hack’s Full Scope

ZachXBT, a well-known cryptocurrency investigator, initially made the matter public by exposing that the significant sum had been stolen from a single wallet. The hacker then used a number of bitcoin exchanges to launder the stolen money. This discovery shocked the cryptocurrency community, which quickly led to a decline in the value of Ripple’s native XRP token.

Market Response: XRP (Ripple) Drops More Than 5%

Ripple’s XRP coin took a significant hit shortly after the hack was made public, shedding more than 5% of its value. Panic was understandable given that investors were already on edge following the digital asset sector’s less-than-perfect start to the year. The market’s reaction demonstrated how even well-known individuals in the cryptocurrency field are susceptible to security lapses.

Larsen Verifies the Attack’s Personal Nature

In a message on the social networking platform X, Chris Larsen admitted that his personal XRP accounts had been hacked (previously Twitter). The incident, he clarified, involved “unauthorized access to a few of my personal XRP accounts.” Larsen responded quickly, confirming that exchanges had been alerted, police enforcement had been called in, and impacted addresses had been frozen.

Ripple Implements Steps to Limit the Vulnerability

Ripple responded to the security compromise by taking steps to minimize the consequences. An essential first step in stopping the stolen money from being transferred further was to freeze the impacted addresses on exchanges. By working with law enforcement authorities, Ripple hoped to get the investigation moving quickly and possibly even catch the hacker who was responsible for the illegal access.

The present state and future prospects of XRP

Following a sharp decline in value shortly after the hack was made public, XRP is currently trading at $0.50 on CoinMarketCap. Investors are keeping a close eye on the events surrounding the hack and are eager to learn more about the security steps taken by Ripple. The event serves as a sobering reminder of the security risks that anyone in the cryptocurrency space—even those who are directly involved with well-known blockchain projects—faces.

Final Thoughts: An Alarm for the Security of Cryptocurrencies

The cryptocurrency community has been alerted to the significance of strong security measures by the hacking of Chris Larsen’s personal XRP accounts. Stakeholders must continue to be cautious and watchful in protecting their digital assets from possible attacks as the industry develops. In addition, the event sparks a more general discussion on improving security protocols throughout the blockchain network in order to guarantee a more secure future for decentralized banking.

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