'It is theft': Blockstream won't pay 💰

The company is refusing to pay a "ransom" to the hackers who are still holding on to $47 million in BTC.

Author

Stephen Graves
September 11, 2026

📝 What you need to know

Blockstream refused to pay for the return of the $47 million in Bitcoin still missing from the Liquid Network on Friday, in a combative tweet aimed at the hackers it had spent the past week negotiating with.

Around 4,000 BTC was drained from the sidechain on Sunday, with the attackers returning 3,400 BTC Tuesday. A day later, the company was still coordinating with “the white hat hacker" to resolve the situation, but that reached an abrupt end Friday as Blockstream struck a harder line against the “theft” of its 598.5 BTC. If the funds were not returned, it said, it would “pursue every lawful avenue available to us,” including law enforcement and forensic specialists.

Blockstream Refuses Ransom for Return of $47M in Bitcoin from Liquid Hack: 'It Is Theft'

With 598.5 BTC still outstanding, the company says it will go to law enforcement should the funds not be returned.

Bitcoin · BTCSeptember 11, 2026
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