THORChain Refuses Bitget Request to Blacklist Hacked Funds

THORChain refuses Bitget — THORChain has refused to blacklist addresses linked to a $387.5 million hack of the Bitget exchange, sparking a debate over decentralization and censorship.

The cross-chain liquidity protocol declined a public request from Bitget CEO Gracy Chen to block addresses associated with the September 25 exploit, which the exchange has preliminarily linked to a North Korean hacking group. The refusal has ignited controversy, with critics arguing the project should not facilitate stolen funds, while decentralization advocates warn that complying would set a dangerous censorship precedent.

THORChain’s capacity to enact such a blacklist is unclear, as the project retired its admin key in February 2025. Despite the controversy, the protocol’s native token, RUNE, surged 50% over the past week.

Separately, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin outlined a vision for the network evolving beyond a mere blockchain into a “cryptographic world computer” integrating zero-knowledge proofs and parallel processing. In regulatory news, SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, known as “Crypto Mom,” submitted her resignation, effective October 2.