$50 Million Tied to Bitget Hackers Blocked by NEAR Intents

3 min readPublished 29 Sep 2026Updated 29 Sep 2026, 21:55 UTC

The cross-chain protocol reports intercepting funds tied to a laundering attempt following the Bitget exchange hack.

NEAR Intents says it blocked $50 million in funds tied to the hackers responsible for a breach at the cryptocurrency exchange Bitget. The protocol disclosed the action as part of its ongoing monitoring of suspicious transaction activity routed through its infrastructure.

NEAR Intents operates as an intent-based execution layer built on the NEAR Protocol. It allows users to specify a desired outcome, such as swapping one asset for another across chains, while underlying solvers handle the routing and execution. This design has made it a popular tool for cross-chain transfers, but it has also drawn attention as a potential channel for moving illicit funds between blockchains.

According to the reports, the funds in question were connected to attackers who compromised Bitget, one of the larger centralized exchanges by trading volume. Details on how the hack itself occurred were not included in the disclosures reviewed for this report. The focus of the statements from NEAR Intents was specifically on the interception of laundering activity, not the original breach.

Blocking laundering attempts at the infrastructure level represents a different approach than traditional post-hoc investigations. Exchanges and blockchain analytics firms typically trace stolen funds after the fact, working with law enforcement to freeze wallets or pressure intermediaries. NEAR Intents’ claim suggests the protocol identified and halted the flow of funds before they could be fully converted or dispersed.

The crypto industry has faced a wave of high-profile exchange hacks and laundering schemes in recent years, with stolen funds often routed through decentralized exchanges, cross-chain bridges, and mixing services. Attackers frequently exploit the speed and pseudonymity of these tools to obscure the origin of stolen assets before cashing out. Infrastructure providers that can flag and halt suspicious flows in real time are increasingly seen as a critical line of defense.

Neither Cointelegraph nor crypto.news detailed the specific mechanism NEAR Intents used to identify and block the funds. It also remains unclear whether the $50 million figure represents the full scope of funds tied to the Bitget hack or only the portion routed through NEAR’s infrastructure. Bitget itself has not been reported as issuing a parallel statement confirming the figure in the sources reviewed.

The disclosure comes amid broader scrutiny of how exchanges and blockchain networks respond to security incidents. Regulators and industry participants have pushed for faster coordination between exchanges, wallet providers, and analytics firms to prevent stolen funds from reaching liquidity venues where they can be converted to fiat or other assets.

Market Impact

The reported interception may bolster confidence in NEAR Intents as a monitored and responsive piece of cross-chain infrastructure, potentially influencing how other protocols position themselves on security. For Bitget, the disclosure could shape how the exchange communicates with users and partners about the fallout from the hack, though the exchange’s own statements were not part of the reviewed sources.

More broadly, the episode adds to a pattern of infrastructure providers publicizing their role in halting illicit fund flows, a trend that could affect how exchanges and protocols compete on security credibility going forward. Market participants should treat the $50 million figure as reported pending further confirmation from Bitget or independent blockchain analytics firms.

NEAR Intents’ disclosure underscores the increasing role cross-chain infrastructure plays in intercepting stolen funds before they disappear into laundering networks. Further details from Bitget or independent analysts would help clarify the full scope of the incident.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is NEAR Intents?

NEAR Intents is a cross-chain swap infrastructure built on the NEAR Protocol that lets users specify a desired transaction outcome, with underlying solvers handling execution across different blockchains.

What did NEAR Intents claim to have done?

NEAR Intents says it blocked $50 million in funds tied to hackers linked to a breach at the cryptocurrency exchange Bitget, preventing an attempted laundering operation.

Has Bitget confirmed the hack or the $50 million figure?

The reports reviewed did not include a separate confirmation from Bitget detailing the hack or verifying the exact amount NEAR Intents says it blocked.

Why does blocking funds at the infrastructure level matter?

Intercepting suspicious transactions in real time can prevent stolen assets from being converted or dispersed, offering a faster response than traditional post-hack tracing efforts.