China accuses the U.S. of a $13B Bitcoin hack from LuBian mining pool, sparking global crypto tensions and diplomatic disputes.
A major diplomatic dispute has erupted between China and the United States over a massive Bitcoin hack. China’s cybersecurity agency has blamed the US government for organizing a $13 billion heist with more than 120,000 Bitcoin. The stolen tokens are said to have been stolen from the Chinese-based LuBian mining pool in December 2020.
According to Bloomberg, China’s National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center (CVERC) reported the incident in 2020 to be a “state-level hacker operation.” The agency said that the quiet and sluggish transferring of the stolen Bitcoin indicated government involvement and not some form of common cybercrime. CVERC said the theft bore the earmarks of professional coordination consistent with state-backed hacking behavior.
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China maintains that the stolen Bitcoin was later connected to wallets under the control of the US government. The agency also alleged that the money was seized in the pretext of law enforcement. The officials described it as part of a “larger coordinated operation” against Chinese digital assets.
The U.S. has strongly denied Beijing’s charges. American officials insist that the seized Bitcoin was part of a criminal investigation. The authorities say the assets were linked to Chen Zhi, a Chinese national and chairman of Cambodian Prince Group. Chen is charged with wire fraud and money laundering in connection with a global crypto scam.
Washington maintains that the seizure was legal and was pursuant to standard international cooperation procedures. U.S. prosecutors, on the other hand, claim that the assets came from illegal activities – not from hacking on a state level. They point out that the indictment against Chen Zhi shows legitimate enforcement action and not cyber theft.
Independent blockchain researchers have contradicted China’s claims about a U.S.-led cyberattack. Forensic reports show that the LuBian mining pool may have had poor security protocols. The wallets were said to have used a broken random number generator when generating the keys. This vulnerability enabled the attackers to brute force private keys and gain access to the Bitcoin.
Moreover, it was noted by the analysts that the stolen Bitcoin was sitting dormant for several years and was later combined in wallets which were identified later as belonging to the US government. Beijing claims this timeline shows that there has been hidden government involvement. However, such patterns can be attributed to lengthy investigations or asset recovery processes say technical experts.
This dispute provides a new geopolitical layer in ongoing U.S. and China digital tensions. China’s accusations make the incident seem like a state-supported “black eats black” operation, which suggests one government hacking another. In the meantime, the U.S. continues to position itself as bringing justice to crypto fraud.
The question of who drained the LuBian wallets remains unresolved and has contributed to the uncertainty in the world. The case points to the rising mistrust in international cyber relations and transparency in crypto. As both countries trade insults, the episode highlights how digital assets can become geopolitical flashpoints, affecting investor confidence and cross-border regulation of crypto.
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