What happened in the UXLINK crypto hack?

The attacker behind the UXLINK exploit moved approximately $6.4 million in stolen funds by swapping 92 WBTC for 3,248 ETH. The transaction is part of a broader effort to move assets stolen during a $44 million breach of the UXLINK protocol.

How much was stolen from UXLINK?

The exploit reportedly drained around $44 million in crypto assets from UXLINK on September 22, 2025. The stolen assets included ETH, stablecoins and other digital tokens.

UXLINK is a blockchain-based decentralised identity and social networking platform. Following the exploit, the project paused operations and advised users to revoke smart contract approvals as a precaution.

Why did the hacker swap WBTC for ETH?

Security analysts believe the attacker converted Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) into Ether because ETH offers deeper liquidity and broader compatibility with decentralised finance services. ETH is also commonly used in laundering schemes involving privacy tools.

What is Tornado Cash and why was it used?

Tornado Cash is a crypto mixer designed to enhance transaction privacy by obscuring the link between senders and recipients. Hackers often use mixers to make stolen funds harder for investigators to trace.

How much ETH was sent to Tornado Cash?

According to blockchain security firm PeckShield, the attacker deposited 1,500 ETH into Tornado Cash after completing the WBTC-to-ETH swap. The remaining funds continue to be monitored by security researchers.

Why is Tornado Cash controversial?

Tornado Cash has become a focal point in debates over crypto privacy and financial crime. While some users employ it for legitimate privacy purposes, authorities have linked the platform to money laundering activities involving stolen digital assets.

Can the stolen UXLINK funds still be recovered?

Recovery becomes more difficult once assets are moved through mixers and across multiple wallets. However, blockchain investigators can still track suspicious movements and may work with exchanges or law enforcement agencies if funds are eventually deposited on regulated platforms.

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UXLINK hacker moves $6.4M through Tornado Cash

Written by Heidi Cuthbert Published Jun. 5 2026Last Updated Jun. 5 2026

The attacker behind the UXLINK exploit has moved approximately $6.4 million in stolen crypto assets after swapping 92 Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) for 3,248 Ether, according to blockchain security firm PeckShield.

PeckShield reported that the hacker subsequently deposited 1,500 ETH into Tornado Cash, a privacy-focused cryptocurrency mixer often used to obscure the movement of digital assets.

The transactions form part of an ongoing effort to launder proceeds from the September 22 exploit that drained roughly $44 million in assets from the UXLINK protocol.

The breach targeted UXLINK, a blockchain-based decentralised identity and social networking platform, prompting the project to pause operations and advise users to revoke smart contract approvals.

Security researchers tracking the incident said the attacker initially stole a combination of ETH, stablecoins and other crypto assets before beginning to reorganise and move the funds across multiple wallets.

The conversion from WBTC to ETH is viewed as a strategic move because Ether offers deeper liquidity and greater compatibility with privacy tools such as Tornado Cash.

As of publication, UXLINK had not announced a recovery programme or compensation plan for affected users, while investigators continued monitoring wallets linked to the attacker and tracking the remaining stolen assets.

At the time of reporting, Wrapped Bitcoin price was $62,478.79.