Crypto tax app Waltio reported user data leak

Users of the Waltio app, used to calculate crypto capital gains and realized earnings, reported a hacker attack. A group reached out to claim a data leak, stealing the personal details of around 50,000 customers. 

The French app Waltio, used for crypto portfolio accounting, reported an attack by the hacker group ‘Shiny Hunters’. The hackers set a ransom demand for the company, claiming they hold the data of approximately 50,000 clients. Waltio has not commented on the hack on its social media profile. 

Most of the users of Waltio are French residents, reflecting the recent threat of exposing the identities of crypto holders. According to Le Parisien reports, up to 150,000 total users had Waltio accounts to calculate taxes owed on their crypto. 

France has become the venue of crypto kidnappings, after the leaking of sensitive information exposing holders.

Hackers present proof of Waltio hack

Waltio is relatively unknown to the general public, but it is one of the widely used performance trackers for crypto portfolios. The company also holds data for filing tax returns. 

As a result, the hacker group was able to present samples of the stolen personal data. Waltio has filed a legal complaint for attempted extortion. At the same time, the data is still in the hands of the hackers. 

For now, there is no information on the data leaking to a wider circle of potential exploiters. No crypto has been stolen, as Waltio itself only calculates and tracks portfolio value. 

According to Waltio, the hackers managed to steal email addresses and data about crypto balances for customers using the platform in 2024. 

The app team states that the hackers did not manage to steal banking, tax, or administrative data, partially protecting the user identities. Even stolen emails have been used in the past to spread crypto phishing scams. 

French authorities to investigate crypto attack

The National Cyber Unit of the Gendarmerie will investigate the attack. Authorities have been concerned about crypto holders after the high-profile abduction of David Balland, founder of Ledger. 

In recent weeks, French police reports point to around ten home invasions and kidnappings across the country. Authorities are investigating other ways in which the addresses of the holders have been exposed, even without signs of outward wealth. 

Authorities are still investigating the potential link between the Waltio hack and recent attacks against crypto holders. Waltio is more widely used in European countries, and the effect may be regionally limited, making it even easier to target local holders. 

The attacks arrived just as Waltio saw increased demand, with the recent EU regulations on crypto reporting. Waltio aims to simplify reporting, but the EU proposal requires users to consolidate all their data, including information on all other platforms used. The DAC-8 proposal for detailed tax reporting may also mean even more vulnerable user data, as even idle holdings have to be reported.

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