NEAR Intents Thwarts $50M in Bitget Hack Laundering Attempts, Only $166K Slipped Through
TREE NEWS reports: Alex Shevchenko, co-founder of Aurora, disclosed that out of the approximately $387.5 million stolen from Bitget on September 24, over $50 million was routed through NEAR Intents, a cross-chain intent-based bridge. However, only about $166,000 (roughly 0.4%) successfully passed through, with the vast majority being blocked. This incident highlights the growing role of intent-based architectures in mitigating cross-chain illicit finance.
How NEAR Intents Intercepted the Funds
NEAR Intents leverages a solver network that competes to fulfill user-declared intents, such as token swaps or cross-chain transfers. Unlike traditional bridges, which often rely on custodial or semi-custodial models, NEAR Intents’ solvers can enforce compliance checks and deny service to flagged addresses. The protocol’s risk engine identified the stolen funds and prevented their movement across chains. The small fraction that got through likely used novel routes or smaller amounts that evaded initial detection.
This event underscores a shift in DeFi security: intent-based systems are not just about user experience but also about programmable compliance. By embedding real-time threat intelligence, such protocols can act as gatekeepers without sacrificing decentralization.
Implications for Cross-Chain Security and DeFi
The Bitget hack, one of the largest exchange breaches in 2023, has become a testing ground for DeFi’s ability to respond to illicit flows. While centralized exchanges have long faced criticism for weak AML controls, decentralized protocols are now stepping up. NEAR Intents’ success in blocking $50 million demonstrates that cross-chain infrastructure can be a powerful ally in combating money laundering.
However, the $166,000 that slipped through reveals limitations. Determined attackers can still exploit gaps, especially if they split funds across multiple chains and use privacy tools. This cat-and-mouse dynamic is likely to intensify as hackers become more sophisticated.
For the broader DeFi ecosystem, the incident reinforces the need for collaborative defense. Projects like Chainalysis and TRM Labs already provide on-chain analytics, but integrating these tools directly into protocol logic—as NEAR Intents did—could become a standard practice. It also raises questions about the role of solvers as de facto compliance officers and the potential for censorship resistance trade-offs.
Forward-Looking Perspective
As cross-chain activity grows, intent-based bridges may evolve into essential security layers. Expect to see more protocols adopting similar risk engines, possibly with decentralized governance to oversee blacklisting decisions. Regulators may also take note, potentially favoring intent architectures that offer built-in AML capabilities. For now, NEAR Intents has set a benchmark: in a world of increasing interoperability, security must be as fluid as the assets themselves.
