Cryptocurrency exchange Bybit, from which hackers from the North Korean Lazarus group recently stole $1.4 billion in cryptocurrencies, is launching a reward program for help in returning the stolen funds, The Register reports.
As part of this initiative, users who identify and report a blockchain transaction or transfer involving currencies stolen from a Bybit wallet will be eligible to receive a 5% reward in Ethereum of the amount found. Another 5% will be provided to the exchange, exchanger, or mixer that facilitates the return of the funds. In total, about $140 million can be paid out under this program.
Individuals and involved parties who assist Bybit in returning funds will receive a reward immediately after the identified cryptocurrencies are frozen.
"We will not stop until Lazarus or bad actors in the industry are eliminated. In the future we will open it up to other victims of Lazarus as well," said Bybit CEO Ben Zhou.
The website lazarusbounty.com, dedicated to the initiative to return stolen cryptocurrencies, notes that the company has already paid out more than $4 million to those who agreed to help. It also reports that more than $40 million in stolen assets have been frozen, and about $96 million more are in the process of being verified.
The site also publishes a list of bona fide mixers, exchangers, and other services that cooperate with Bybit in returning stolen cryptocurrencies. A separate tab displays exchangers that ignore the exchange's requests or refuse to freeze and return funds - currently, only eXch is on this list.