U.S. Recovers $31 Million Stolen in 2021 Uranium Finance Hack
After a year-long investigation, U.S. authorities have successfully recovered $31 million in cryptocurrency stolen during the 2021 cyberattack on Uranium Finance, a Binance Smart Chain-based DeFi protocol.
The 2021 Uranium Finance Hack: A Decentralized Finance Protocol Under Siege
Uranium Finance was a decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol built on Binance's BNB Chain that operated as an automated market maker (AMM) similar to Uniswap. The platform launched in April 2021, but its grand opening was short-lived due to hackers exploiting vulnerabilities in its smart contracts.
The attackers took advantage of the platform's weaknesses to drain its assets and push it to premature death, causing millions in investor losses. The two attacks occurred on April 6 and April 28, 2021, resulting in losses of over $53.7 million.
Tracking Down the Stolen Funds
Blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs worked closely with law enforcement agencies, including the Southern District of New York (SDNY) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Diego, to track down the stolen assets. The team meticulously followed the movement of stolen funds across multiple blockchains, identifying key laundering patterns and generating actionable intelligence for law enforcement.
"In February 2023, TRM worked closely with law enforcement to meticulously trace the movement of stolen assets across multiple blockchains, identifying key laundering patterns and generating actionable intelligence for law enforcement," reads a report from TRM Labs. "By March 2023, the team had mapped out the attackers' attempts to obfuscate their funds, linking them to Tornado Cash transactions and cross-chain swaps."
The Recovered Funds: A Significant Retrievation
As a result of this tireless effort, law enforcement was able to successfully seize $31 million in outstanding funds in February 2025. The recovered funds were stolen during the two attacks on Uranium Finance and were laundered through various means.
The Lazarus Group: Behind the $1.5 Billion Bybit Crypto Heist
Separately, the FBI has confirmed that the Lazarus Group was behind the $1.5 billion Bybit crypto heist. The group's involvement in this heist is just the latest example of their notorious cybercrime activities.
The Never-Ending Quest for Cryptocurrency Security
As the cryptocurrency space continues to evolve, so too do the methods used by hackers to exploit vulnerabilities in platforms like Uranium Finance. The recovery of $31 million in stolen assets is a significant step forward in protecting investors and ensuring that such heists are brought to justice.
A Message for Victims: Claim Your Recovered Cryptocurrency
The U.S. SDNY has asked victims of the hack to email UraniumVictims@hsi.dhs.gov to claim a portion of the recovered cryptocurrency. This is an opportunity for investors to receive some compensation for their losses, and it's essential that they take advantage of this offer.