News linked to both this project and an event.
Odaily News: Liquid Network announced that the emergency release Elements v23.3.4 is now live, with Functionary nodes having immediately begun upgrades. All Liquid node operators are advised to update accordingly. This release addresses a previously identified Proof validation cache vulnerability by strengthening the cache keys used for Range Proofs.Regarding network recovery, Blockstream stated that a recovery plan is still being formulated, expected to proceed in three phases: **resume block production while continuing to pause Peg operations; replay verified valid transactions; restore Peg operations after the network state is fully recovered and fund returns are confirmed.** Currently, the first two phases are being tested in parallel, and any phase will only advance once confirmed secure.Liquid Network stated that Elements v23.3.4 has undergone multiple rounds of internal and external reviews, with participants including the Bitcoin Red Team, Alpen Labs, and other teams. Meanwhile, Liquid Network reminds users to be wary of fake upgrade websites exploiting this incident for scams. Information should only be obtained through official Liquid Network and Blockstream channels, and users should never send funds to strangers or disclose private keys or seed phrases.
Liquid Network's official security incident report: On September 6, a vulnerability related to the range proof verification method in Liquid node caching within the open-source software Elements was exploited, resulting in the creation of approximately 4,000 LBTC tokens not backed by bitcoin reserves. The exploiter subsequently exchanged them for approximately 4,000 BTC via SideSwap and the Liquid standard Peg-out mechanism. Prior to the incident, Liquid's reserves stood at approximately 4,205 BTC. After the relevant Peg-out and other withdrawals completed before the network halt, reserves fell to 197 BTC.According to the official statement, the incident did not involve the compromise of Functionary nodes or private keys, and other issued assets on Liquid such as USDT were also unaffected by the vulnerability. The exploiter claimed to be a white hat security researcher and returned 3,400 BTC to the Liquid Federation Peg wallet on September 7. Approximately 598.5 BTC (about 15% of the funds involved) remain unrecovered, and Blockstream is in communication to recover the remaining assets.At present, the top priority is to recover the remaining funds and restore Liquid Network to normal operation as quickly and safely as possible. A fix for the vulnerability has been developed and is currently undergoing multiple rounds of internal and external review. Blockstream is preparing to urgently release Elements v23.3.4, which is expected to be rolled out as soon as preparations are complete, with a target launch within approximately 48 hours. Following the software update, Liquid Network Functionary operators will make further adjustments to restore full network functionality and resume a corrected network state, including rejecting previously invalid Peg-outs.
: On-chain digital asset management neobank ether.fi has selected Nexus Mutual to provide ETH slashing coverage, covering slashing penalties for its validators up to 15,000 ETH. ether.fi stated that it operates a large-scale validator set on Ethereum, and slashing is a tail risk. This coverage is used to cover validator losses, with a scale exceeding the total historical ETH slashing losses. ether.fi currently manages over $6 billion in assets across products such as Cash, Stake, and Liquid. Since 2019, Nexus Mutual has provided over $7 billion in coverage for smart contract attacks, slashing, and other digital asset risks. (Decrypt)
on-chain investigator ZachXBT has released verification information, stating that crypto exchange AscendEX has officially announced its cessation of operations, and the platform's current liquid assets are almost insufficient to cover user withdrawal demands. According to the platform announcement, the shutdown is primarily due to market conditions and the EU MiCA regulatory framework. Starting July 1st, all services including account opening, trading, and deposits will be fully suspended, with only basic functions such as account inquiry and withdrawals remaining open. After July 6th, all withdrawal channels will cease automatic processing and switch entirely to manual review. The official team has candidly warned that withdrawals may be significantly delayed or even impossible to process.ZachXBT’s investigation found that pending user claims amount to millions of dollars, yet the platform’s available liquid assets in hot wallets are severely insufficient. AscendEX is currently evaluating its financial status and a plan for handling user assets, with subsequent arrangements to be announced separately.
The Zcash Foundation released its Q1 2026 report, disclosing total liquid assets of approximately $36.7 million, including roughly $12.11 million in cash, 506,556 USDC, 85,412 ZEC (valued at ~$21.2 million), 41.8 BTC (valued at ~$2.85 million), and 12.02 ETH (valued at ~$25,000). The Zcash Foundation added that, although the first quarter of this year saw personnel changes within the Electric Coin Company’s development team and governance-related disputes, network operations remained unaffected, with transactions and block production continuing normally. On the regulatory front, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has concluded its investigation without taking any enforcement action, thereby resolving long-standing regulatory uncertainty.
Currently, McCann’s passport has been confiscated, and he has been ordered to remain in the country pending the results of the forensic autopsy. Notably, Liquid Alpha, a fund managed by McCann, announced its liquidation last December after suffering losses of as high as 78% in 2025.