Hack history / 2024 / Hack or exploit
US Government Crypto Wallet
Hack or exploit on Oct 24, 2024 · Private Key Compromised
IN REVIEWSOURCES AGREE ON DATE AND LOSS · 3 SOURCES
Lost
$20M
dollars at the time
Returned
$19.3M
96% of the loss, as a source states it
Rank
#205
among thefts by dollars lost
What happened
A dormant US government wallet holding $20M from 2016 Bitfinex seizures had its private key compromised on October 24, 2024. Attacker drained $20M in ETH, USDC, aUSDC and USDT, but $19.3M was recovered within 24 hours; ~$700K went to instant exchanges.
In review: possible duplicate within one source.
Details
- Date
- Oct 24, 2024
- Kind
- Hack or exploit
- Method
- Private Key Compromised
- How in
- Keys, accounts and infrastructure
- Target
- Other
- Chains
- Ethereum
After the theft
- Recovered or seized
- $19.3M
“Attacker drained $20M in ETH, USDC, aUSDC and USDT, but $19.3M was recovered within 24 hours;” (DefiLlama) - Returned by the attacker
- yes, amount not stated
“Approximately 19.3M worth of tokens were later returned to the U.S.” (SlowMist Hacked) - Recovered or frozen
- $19.3M
“$20.5M taken, $1.2M after recovery or freezing” (Web3 Is Going Great)
Related incidents
Fearless Wallet 2026 · Hack or exploit · $20K
Argent-style Smart Wallet System 2026 · Hack or exploit · $60K
Single attacker steals $2.25 million from three crypto projects in the "Artificial Superintelligence Alliance" 2026 · Hack or exploit · $2.2M
Blink Wallet 2026 · Hack or exploit · undisclosed
DCENT Wallet 2026 · Hack or exploit · $6.6M
Argent-style Smart Wallet System 2026 · Hack or exploit · $60K
Single attacker steals $2.25 million from three crypto projects in the "Artificial Superintelligence Alliance" 2026 · Hack or exploit · $2.2M
Blink Wallet 2026 · Hack or exploit · undisclosed
DCENT Wallet 2026 · Hack or exploit · $6.6M
Cite this page
SwanBluechip, "US Government Crypto Wallet hack, Oct 24, 2024: $20M lost", Crypto hack history, https://swan-hack-tracker.pages.dev/history/i/htfba2d52f5c/ (data as of 2026-10-31).