Deep Dive
1. Hacker Turns $53M into $94M (20 August 2025)
Overview:
The Radiant Capital exploiter, linked to North Korea’s AppleJeus group, converted stolen assets into 21,957 ETH ($53M) during the October 2024 hack. By holding through Ethereum’s rally and selling 9,631 ETH at $4,562 (totaling $43.9M), the hacker’s stash grew to $94M. Recent on-chain activity shows partial liquidation into DAI to evade tracking.
What this means:
This is bearish for RDNT because ongoing asset movements signal low recovery prospects and erode confidence in DeFi security. However, ETH’s price surge diluted the hack’s proportional impact on Radiant’s market cap. (Crypto.News)
Overview:
Radiant’s DAO approved a remediation plan, including stricter multi-sig controls, third-party audits, and a protocol-backed “Guardian Fund” for future protections. First reimbursements to hack victims are slated for late 2025.
What this means:
This is neutral-to-bullish as proactive measures aim to restore trust, but delayed payouts and past breaches (two hacks in 2024) keep risk elevated. Governance shifts to a community council may decentralize decision-making. (X Post)
3. BTC Lending Expansion (14 July 2025)
Overview:
Radiant expanded Bitcoin collateral options, integrating wrapped BTC (wBTC), Coinbase’s cbBTC, and Lombard Finance’s LBTC across four chains. Ethereum leads with $1.8M in BTC deposits.
What this means:
This is bullish long-term, diversifying use cases and capturing cross-chain liquidity. However, adoption hinges on Ethereum’s lending demand (58% utilization) sustaining momentum. (X Post)
Conclusion
Radiant Capital balances remediation efforts against a hacker’s windfall, with security upgrades and BTC expansion offering cautious optimism. Will enhanced safeguards attract fresh capital, or will the exploit’s shadow linger? Monitor ETH price trends and Q3/Q4 reimbursement execution.