Coinbase Discloses Major Data Breach Affecting Over 69,000 Customers

Crypto exchange Coinbase has revealed that at least 69,461 customers had their personal and financial information stolen during a months-long data breach. The breach, which began on December 26, 2024, and lasted until early this month, was disclosed to Maine’s attorney general in a filing required by the state’s data breach notification law.
The incident came to light when Coinbase received a ransom note from the hacker, demanding $20 million in exchange for deleting the stolen data. The company refused to pay the ransom. The hacker reportedly bribed Coinbase customer support workers over several months to gain access to sensitive customer information, including names, email and postal addresses, phone numbers, government-issued identity documents, account balances, and transaction histories.
Concerns have been raised that wealthy customers may be targeted for exploitation. Coinbase has assured customers that it is taking steps to enhance security measures and prevent future breaches. The incident underscores growing risks in the crypto industry as cyberattacks continue to threaten user data and financial security.

Published: 5/22/2025