Blockstream has refused to pay a ransom for approximately 598.5 Bitcoin, valued at $47 million, remaining unrecovered from the Liquid Network exploit.
Attackers returned 3,400 BTC on Monday, representing about 85 percent of the $320 million initially withdrawn from the Bitcoin sidechain. Blockstream said in a statement that "Taking assets without permission and refusing to return them is a crime, not responsible vulnerability disclosure."
To recover the remaining 598.5 BTC, Blockstream plans to collaborate with law enforcement agencies, cryptocurrency exchanges, and forensic specialists to trace the funds.
The Liquid Network, a Bitcoin sidechain developed by Blockstream, enables faster and more confidential transactions for BTC. The exploit targeted the underlying infrastructure directly.
