Near Intents Recovers $3.8M After Attacker Returns Funds Within 48-Hour Ultimatum

A full on-chain recovery within a stated ultimatum window is rare enough that the resolution itself becomes the story, rather than the exploit. The outcome suggests the attacker's identity was established with enough confidence that negotiation, not law enforcement or a white-hat bounty, closed the gap — a pattern worth tracking as attribution tools improve. For cross-chain intent protocols, the reputational cost of a drain often exceeds the funds at risk, so full restitution limits the longer-term damage. Whether this reflects a repeatable playbook or a one-off is the open question.