French Bank Confirms Supplier Breach Led to Suspected $133 Million Theft

Crédit Mutuel Arkéa, a major French banking group, has confirmed it suffered a "sophisticated attack" after reports that hackers stole an estimated $133 million. The bank said the attackers compromised an unnamed supplier, then used that access to reach the bank itself and make transfers from its own account. It stressed that customer accounts were not accessed and that customers' assets are not affected.

The theft was first reported by ZachXBT, a pseudonymous blockchain investigator, who said the attack ran over several days. His estimate was based on withdrawals from cryptocurrency exchange accounts and transactions aimed at laundering the funds. The bank declined to confirm the figure but said it could "validate the order of magnitude." It disputed French media reports that the attackers got in through its online banking subsidiary, Fortuneo. It also said the incident was not the result of human error, and gave no further technical details.

According to the bank, the money was sent to other banks and potentially converted into cryptocurrency through specialised platforms. Some of the converted assets have been frozen, and it is working to recover the rest. Arkéa said the incident is now under control, that the final loss is not yet established, and that the sum does not threaten its financial health. It is working with judicial and police authorities to determine how the attack happened.