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Figure, the publicly traded blockchain lender, confirmed Friday that an employee was duped in a social‑engineering attack that allowed an intruder to download customer files — a breach that the hacking group ShinyHunters says yielded roughly 2.5 GB of data. ShinyHunters claimed Figure refused to pay a ransom and published the stolen material. TechCrunch, which first reported the incident, said it reviewed some of the files and found customer full names, home addresses, dates of birth and phone numbers. Figure told Decrypt it “recently identified that an employee was socially engineered, and that allowed an actor to download a limited number of files through their account,” adding the company moved quickly to block the activity and hired a forensic firm to investigate which files were affected. Social engineering—where attackers trick employees via deceptive emails, calls or messages to obtain credentials or authorize access—has surged in sophistication. A January Chainalysis report estimated more than $17 billion in crypto was stolen last year through AI‑powered impersonation scams. And data breaches at large remain widespread: a December 2025 Privacy Rights Clearinghouse report logged over 8,000 notification filings tied to more than 4,000 incidents affecting at least 374 million people. While Figure’s spokesperson declined to provide further technical detail, a source quoted to TechCrunch said ShinyHunters framed the incident as part of a broader campaign hitting organizations that use Okta single‑sign‑on; other alleged victims cited in reporting include Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania. Founded in 2018 and based in New York, Figure runs its loan platform on the Provenance blockchain and focuses on home equity lines of credit. The company went public in September 2025 under ticker FIGR, raising $787.5 million in an IPO that valued it at about $5.3 billion. The breach announcement came the same day Figure proposed a secondary offering of up to 4,230,000 shares of its Series A Blockchain Common Stock and disclosed plans to repurchase up to $30 million of Class A shares from underwriters. Figure’s stock closed up 3.57% at $35.29 on Friday, though it has fallen roughly 37% over the past month. Figure said it is notifying impacted individuals and partners, implementing additional safeguards, and offering complimentary credit monitoring to those who receive breach notices. It also stressed that it continuously monitors accounts and maintains protections intended to safeguard customer funds and accounts. For customers and crypto users, the incident underscores the growing role of human‑targeted attacks in blockchain and fintech breaches—and the importance of multi‑layered defenses around identity and access management as attackers increasingly combine social engineering with AI tools. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

TLDR:

China’s U.S. Treasury holdings fell to $682.6B, down from a $1.3T peak in 2013.

China’s share of foreign Treasury holdings dropped to 7.3%, the lowest since 2001.

Gold reserves reached 2,308 tonnes after 15 straight months of central bank buying.

Total foreign U.S. Treasury holdings hit a record $9.36T despite China’s reduction.

 

China’s holdings of U.S. Treasuries declined to their lowest share in foreign reserves since 2001. As of November 2025, Beijing held $682.6 billion in U.S. government debt, while its gold reserves climbed to record levels.

Treasury Holdings Decline to Multi-Decade Low Share

Data shows China’s Treasury holdings dropped to $682.6 billion in November 2025. This marks a sharp fall from its 2013 peak of over $1.3 trillion.

China now accounts for 7.3% of total foreign-held U.S. Treasuries. That share is the lowest recorded since 2001. Despite the decline, overall foreign holdings reached a record $9.36 trillion. Japan and the United Kingdom remain the largest foreign holders.

The reduction has drawn attention across financial markets. However, bond markets have remained stable during the adjustment period. The figures indicate a gradual rebalancing rather than an abrupt market disruption.

On X, user Wimar X claimed that China “dumped $638 billion” in U.S. Treasuries. The post also stated that current holdings are the lowest since 2008. The tweet further suggested China is “exiting the system.”

BREAKING

CHINA DUMPED $638 BILLION IN US TREASURY HOLDINGS.

NOW THEY HOLD ONLY $683 BILLION – THE LOWEST SINCE 2008.

MEANWHILE, CHINA'S GOLD RESERVES HAVE PUMPED FOR 15 MONTHS IN A ROW, TO $370 BILLION – A NEW HIGH.

THEY'RE EXITING THE SYSTEM… pic.twitter.com/7TwL5Gpm29

— Wimar.X (@DefiWimar) February 14, 2026

Official data confirms the decline in holdings. However, total foreign demand for Treasuries remains strong, led by other major economies.

Gold Reserves Rise for 15 Consecutive Months

At the same time, the People’s Bank of China continued adding gold to its reserves. January 2026 marked the fifteenth straight month of gold purchases.

China’s gold holdings reached 2,308 tonnes, valued at about $370 billion. Gold now represents roughly 5% of the country’s $3.3 trillion in total reserves. This is the highest recorded level for China’s gold stockpile.

Some market observers view the shift as a move toward hard assets. Others describe it as standard reserve diversification. The increase in gold has occurred alongside the steady reduction in Treasury exposure.

Even so, China remains one of the largest holders of U.S. government debt globally. The adjustment appears gradual rather than sudden.

The combination of lower Treasury holdings and higher gold reserves reflects changing reserve allocations. Meanwhile, global Treasury markets continue to operate without major volatility.

 

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