Custody

Who holds the keys for big investors: custodians, bank launches, and what happens when security fails.

• 3 November 2026Brazil's Mercado Bitcoin pauses withdrawals after a $38m hackMercado Bitcoin, a Brazilian crypto exchange with 4.8 million customers, paused deposits and withdrawals on 2 November after about $38m was drained from its wallets, the company said. Around $11m has been frozen with help from Tether, Circle and others. Chainalysis puts the loss higher, at $49m across 17 blockchains.
• 2 November 2026Binance reopens withdrawals after a $6.3bn hackBinance has started letting people take their money out again after hackers stole about $6.3 billion from its hot wallets late on 29 October. The exchange says it has already covered about 95% of what was taken with its own money, including its emergency SAFU fund, so customers won't take the hit.