French bank Crédit Mutuel Arkéa hit by cyberattack, over $133 million diverted

Crédit Mutuel Arkéa confirmed on November 4 that it suffered a cyberattack allowing fraudulent banking operations. The bank said attackers accessed its systems through a provider platform and reached the group directly, without using client accounts or Fortuneo.

The attackers used Arkéa’s own account to make transfers to other banking institutions. They then converted the money into cryptocurrency via specialized platforms.

Blockchain researcher ZachXBT estimates more than 133 million dollars, about 118 million euros, were stolen. Arkéa did not confirm the amount but acknowledged the scale was correct and said its losses would be lower.

The bank ruled out human error at Arkéa and described the incident as a sophisticated external attack. It also stated the affected amounts would not threaten the group’s financial solidity.

Crédit Mutuel Arkéa said the attack is now contained and some funds may have been blocked. Recovery actions are ongoing.

As a precaution, the group temporarily suspended certain transactions to secure operations and prevent new fraudulent movements. Nearly all operations resumed in the morning after verification and reinforced security measures.

The bank reassured clients that their assets face no consequences, though some transfer operations were executed with a delay.