Hackers have stolen approximately $6.36 billion from Binance in the largest cryptocurrency theft on record. Days later, Brazil's Mercado Bitcoin was hit by another major attack. So just how safe are the world's biggest crypto exchanges?

In this episode of the Payment Expert Podcast, host and News Editor Lewis Thompson is joined by senior business journalist Kieran to examine two major crypto security incidents and what they could mean for the future of digital asset protection.

On 29 October 2026, approximately $6.36 billion was stolen from Binance wallets across multiple blockchains, with much of the theft taking place in around 20 minutes. Blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs has attributed the attack to TraderTraitor, a North Korea-linked hacking group.

Just days later, Mercado Bitcoin suffered a separate breach, with blockchain investigators estimating tens of millions of dollars in stolen assets.

The incidents have raised major questions about exchange security, hot wallets, customer funds and the growing concentration of cryptocurrency assets within large centralised platforms.

Lewis and Kieran discuss how the attacks unfolded, why online-connected wallets present security challenges, and whether customers can rely on crypto exchanges to reimburse their losses.

They also explore the role of stablecoin issuers such as Tether and Circle in freezing stolen funds, the differences between crypto exchange protections and traditional banking safeguards, and whether cryptocurrency is moving further away from its original promise of decentralisation.

In this episode:

How the record $6.36 billion Binance hack unfolded
Why investigators have linked the attack to North Korea's TraderTraitor group
What happened during the Mercado Bitcoin security breach
The risks associated with crypto hot wallets
Whether customers can recover stolen cryptocurrency
How stablecoin issuers can freeze assets
Binance's emergency customer protection fund
Centralised exchanges versus self-custody
The future of cryptocurrency security and regulation

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#Binance #CryptoHack #PaymentExpert #Cryptocurrency #Cybersecurity

This episode breaks down the UK Competition and Markets Authority's proposals to force Apple to open the iPhone’s contactless NFC chip to rival wallets, and what that means for banks, fintechs, and consumers.

Key Topics

• The CMA's core demands: Requiring Apple to offer both Host Card Emulation (HCE) and Secure Element (SE) access, Express Mode functionality, and alternative default wallet selection.
• Why the 2024 opening failed: How Apple's existing commercial fees and restrictive SE-only platform kept rival wallets from launching in the UK.
• The security vs. open-access debate: Examining Apple’s security concerns against the fact that Android and the EU already operate safely on free HCE models.
• Global regulatory precedents: Comparing the UK's approach to the EU's binding free-access settlement, Brazil’s ongoing fight over contactless Pix, and earlier attempts in Germany and Australia.
• Wider industry impact: How open NFC could enable in-store "Pay by Bank" options, unlock transit and digital ID services, and whether UK consumers will actually see third-party wallets by late 2027.

Host: Louis Thompsett
Guest: Kieran O'Connor
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: Anaya McDonald

Learn more about the latest payments insights: https://paymentexpert.com

In this episode, we explore the latest developments in AI regulation within the financial industry, including the FSB's final AI guidance, the EU AI Act, and the FCA's plans to become an agentic regulator. We discuss the implications for payment firms, fraud prevention, and the need for standardised AI practices.

Key Topics

• FSB's 12 AI practices for financial firms
• The role of human oversight in AI deployment
• Risks of AI agents in payments and commerce
• Regulatory approaches: FCA, EU AI Act, and others
• The importance of standardized AI practices
• Implications for fraud detection and prevention
• The concept of agentic AI and its regulation
• Future challenges in AI regulation and compliance

Host: Louis Thompsett
Guests: Kieran O'Connor & Callum Williams
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: Anaya McDonald

Learn more about the latest payments insights: https://paymentexpert.com

In this episode, Sulabh Agarwal from Accenture shares insights from Sibos on AI, risk resilience, tokenisation, and the future of money movement, highlighting how these trends are shaping the payments industry.

Key Topics

• AI-driven finance and risk management
• Risk and resilience in financial infrastructure
• AI applications in banking and payments
• Transaction foundation models and semantic layers
• Tokenization, stablecoins, and digital currencies
• Cross-border payments and stablecoin traction
• Tokenized deposits and future money movement
• Liability and legal considerations in agent-based payments

Host: Louis Thompsett
Guest: Sulabh Agarwal
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: Anaya McDonald

Learn more about the latest payments insights: https://paymentexpert.com

In this episode, Erica Stanford discusses the evolving landscape of stablecoins, crypto payments, and the impact of AI on fraud and cybersecurity. She shares insights on regulatory challenges, ethical AI use, and practical steps for payment firms to stay ahead in a rapidly changing environment.

Key Topics

• Stablecoin transaction volumes and use cases
• Crypto's role in real-world payments and remittances
• Perceptions of crypto and money laundering risks
• AI's impact on fraud and scam techniques
• Ethical considerations in AI deployment in finance

Host: Louis Thompsett
Guest: Erica Stanford
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: Anaya McDonald

Learn more about the latest payments insights: https://paymentexpert.com

In this episode, Claire Gates, Global Head of Payments and Solutions at Crown Agents Bank, shares insights on cross-border payments in Africa, the role of stablecoins, and the future of AI in payments. Discover how innovative solutions are transforming money movement and the importance of regulation and diversity in the industry.

Key Topics

• Challenges in African cross-border payments
• Role of stablecoins in emerging markets
• AI applications in payments and compliance
• Crown Agents Bank's role in facilitating trade finance
• Diversity and women in the payments industry

Host: Louis Thompsett
Guest: Claire Gates
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: Anaya McDonald

Learn more about the latest payments insights: https://paymentexpert.com

In this episode, Kaivalya Paluskar from Payment IQ discusses innovations in cashier management, including the introduction of Cashier Plus, and how these tools streamline the onboarding and deposit process for operators. Learn how data-driven decisions and AI are shaping the future of payment experiences in iGaming.

Key Topics

• Cashier management challenges in iGaming
• Introduction of Cashier Plus by Payment IQ
• The importance of the final deposit step in user acquisition
• Reducing development time with Cashier Plus
• Using data and AI to improve payment experiences
• The 'No Ticket, No Release' philosophy in product updates
• Future trends: AI integration and smarter payment solutions

Host: Louis Thompsett
Guest: Kaivalya Paluskar
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: Anaya McDonald

Learn more about the latest payments insights: https://paymentexpert.com

From sophisticated investment scams to sanctions evasion and state-backed cybercrime, crypto has become an increasingly important part of the global financial crime conversation.

In this episode of the Payment Expert Podcast, Louis Thompsett is joined by Senior Business Journalist Kieran O’Connor to examine some of the darkest corners of the digital asset economy.

The pair look at how so-called scam farms build relationships with victims over weeks or months before stealing their money, why stablecoins such as USDT have become so useful to criminal networks, and how stolen funds can be dispersed across multiple wallets and exchanges within minutes.

They also examine the human cost behind these operations, including forced scam compounds in Southeast Asia where victims of trafficking are coerced into carrying out fraud.

The conversation then moves from organised crime to geopolitics, exploring how sanctioned states including Russia, Iran and North Korea have used digital assets to move money, bypass traditional financial rails and support state-linked activity.

But is crypto actually better for criminals than cash?

The episode ends by asking whether the permanent, public nature of blockchain transactions could ultimately make crypto one of the most traceable forms of financial crime.

Subscribe to the Payment Expert Podcast for more news, insight and analysis from across the global payments industry.

For the latest payments news, visit Payment Expert.

#Crypto #Cryptocurrency #FinancialCrime #Stablecoins #Payments