Binance Collaborates with Ripple to Retrieve $4.2 Million in Stolen XRP Funds through Asset Freezing
In a recent development that has sent shockwaves through the cryptocurrency community, Binance, one of the leading crypto exchanges, has frozen $4.2 million worth of XRP to aid Ripple in recovering funds stolen from co-founder Chris Larsen’s personal accounts.
The Hack and Ripple’s Response
The recent XRP hack involved unauthorized access and theft from the personal accounts of Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen. The incident, which occurred on January 31, 2024, saw the theft of approximately 213 million XRP tokens, equivalent to around $112.5 million. The stolen funds were reportedly laundered through several crypto exchanges, including Binance, Gate, Kraken, OKX, HTX, HitBTC, and MEXC.
The hack was initially reported by crypto sleuth ZachXBT, who suggested that the Ripple ecosystem had been compromised. However, Larsen later clarified that the attack was not on Ripple’s wallets but was an “unauthorized access” to his personal accounts, leading to the massive theft. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse also came forward, reiterating that the Ripple wallets were not “compromised” and assuring the community that they were safe.
Chris Larsen has confirmed that law enforcement agencies are involved in the investigation, indicating the seriousness of the breach and the concerted efforts to address the theft. The involvement of authorities suggests that there is an ongoing pursuit to not only recover the stolen funds but also to potentially identify and prosecute the perpetrators.
Binance’s Supportive Move
In response to the theft, Binance CEO Richard Teng shared an official post on X, acknowledging ZachXBT’s work in uncovering the hack and appreciating Ripple’s effort in collaborating with other exchanges, including Binance.
Teng announced Binance’s decision to freeze the stolen funds, stating, “The Binance team has managed to freeze $4.2 Million … worth of XRP stolen by the exploiter.” He also expressed Binance’s commitment to supporting a “safe ecosystem” and aiding Ripple in resolving the issue.
“We will continue to support Ripple in their investigations and their efforts to retrieve back the funds, including closely monitoring the majority of funds still in the exploiter’s external wallets in case they deposit to Binance,” Teng added.
Impact on the Crypto Community
The crypto community’s response to Binance’s decision to freeze the stolen funds has been largely positive, with stakeholders appreciating the exchange’s swift action to aid Ripple in recovering the stolen XRP.
Binance’s proactive move to freeze the stolen XRP demonstrates the potential for collaboration within the crypto industry to address security breaches and recover stolen funds.
The community has recognized the importance of such decisive actions in maintaining a safe ecosystem for digital assets and has shown support for Binance’s commitment to security and its willingness to work alongside Ripple and other exchanges in the recovery efforts.
The incident has also highlighted the ongoing challenges and risks associated with digital assets, emphasizing the need for robust security measures and vigilant transaction monitoring. Binance’s proactive measure has reinforced the role of crypto exchanges in mitigating the effects of cyber theft and enhancing the safety of the digital asset space.

Angel Marinov is the Managing Editor at Coinlabz. With extensive knowledge of crypto payments and blockchain use cases, Angel is a trusted source of accurate and timely information