In a startling revelation that has sent shockwaves through the cryptocurrency community, the crypto-based betting platform Stake has reportedly been targeted in a security exploit involving suspicious outflows of over $15 million.
On-chain analysts have detected multiple irregular transactions from the platform, raising concerns about a potential security vulnerability affecting Stake’s wallet.
The anatomy of the exploit: What was lost?
According to on-chain analyst Cyvers, approximately $15.7 million was transferred from the platform. The suspicious outflows consisted of 6,000 ether, valued at around $9.8 million, and $5.9 million in stablecoins.
Blockchain analyst ZachXBT confirmed Cyvers’ claim that about $15.7 million was lost on Ethereum, and an additional $25.6 million was drained across Polygon and the Binance Smart Chain.
Etherscan data also showed that the targeted Stake wallet still holds $340,000 worth of ETH and $2.1 million in various altcoins. While Stake has not yet issued an official statement, the platform has reportedly paused deposits and withdrawals, leaving users in a state of uncertainty.
Stake.com was founded in 2017 and quickly became the largest online casino. The platform mainly focuses on sports betting and casino games such as blackjack, roulette, and slots. Stake stands out by exclusively using cryptocurrencies for transactions rather than fiat currencies. It supports 18 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Dogecoin (DOGE), Ripple (XRP), Tether (USDT), USD Coin (USDC), and ApeCoin (APE), among others.
Stake offers various bonuses and promotions to entice and retain users. These may include deposit bonuses, free bets, and loyalty programs.
Meanwhile, the crypto world has witnessed lots of hacks and exploits so far in 2023, with losses amounting to about $1 billion. It is essential to know that August alone witnessed $45.8 million in losses from crypto-related criminal activities, Cryptopolitan reported.