Founder Sheldon Xia confirmed the breach on X, with on-chain analysis reportedly tying it to the larger Mercado Bitcoin attack.
Tue 3 Nov 2026 · 23:56 EST · 2 min read
In Crypto
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BitMart may have been targeted by the same hackers who attacked Brazil’s Mercado Bitcoin, according to the exchange’s founder, Sheldon Xia, who confirmed that the platform had also suffered a breach.
His response came after a crypto analyst alleged that BitMart was hacked three hours earlier and that funds from both incidents were sent to identical wallets. Xia said the amount stolen from BitMart was small and the exchange had moved quickly to investigate and reinforce its security.
The founder said BitMart’s ability to respond to security threats had been affected by a restructuring that left the company with a core team.
The exchange’s preliminary investigation pointed to a possible link between the BitMart breach and the attack on Mercado Bitcoin, although Xia did not provide further details about the suspected group or the amount lost.
Mercado Bitcoin, Brazil’s largest crypto exchange, has paused its platform following a security incident discovered on Nov. 2, leaving customers temporarily unable to access the app.
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The exchange said customer assets remain secured and balances are still recorded in their respective accounts. The affected assets are currently valued at about $36 million, with approximately $13 million already blocked as the company continues efforts to trace and freeze the funds.
Olá. Primeiro, o mais importante: os ativos dos clientes estão garantidos . Os saldos continuam registrados nas respectivas contas. Ontem (2/11), identificamos um incidente de segurança. Acionamos na hora nossos protocolos de segurança e governança e informamos as autoridades.… — Mercado Bitcoin (@MercadoBitcoin) November 3, 2026
The exchange is coordinating with global protocols, crypto platforms, security companies and independent investigators to identify and block assets linked to the attack. It plans to restore platform access in stages, with each service returning only after completing security checks.
Disclosure: This article was edited by John Chen. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
