Bitget, THORChain Clash Over Hacker Address Blocking

Bitget has pressed THORChain to block wallet addresses linked to a recent hack after stolen assets were routed through the cross-chain protocol and converted into Bitcoin. The exchange’s request quickly sharpened a familiar debate in crypto: whether decentralized infrastructure should intervene when illicit funds move through permissionless rails.

THORChain rejected the appeal, saying its design does not permit censorship or discretionary address blacklisting. The response underscores a core trade-off in decentralized finance, where protocols are built to minimize gatekeeping even when that limits their ability to respond to security incidents.

For Bitget, the episode adds pressure to its recovery and containment efforts. For THORChain, it reinforces a long-standing position that protocol-level neutrality is a feature, not a flaw, even as that stance draws scrutiny when stolen funds are involved.

The dispute arrives as broader market sentiment remains constructive, with the Fear and Greed Index in greed territory. Still, the case is likely to keep attention on exchange security, cross-chain liquidity routes and the practical limits of post-hack remediation in DeFi.