Shiba Inu Intensifies Recovery Efforts with Final Offer
The influential contributors at Shiba Inu, alongside the K9 Finance DAO, have intensified their recovery initiatives concerning the Shibarium bridge exploit. The strategy involves an on-chain ultimatum aimed at the perpetrator, with the introduction of a fresh bounty contract amounting to 20 ETH. This offer is being communicated directly to the hacker via Ethereum Input Data Messages (IDM).
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Final 20 ETH Offer from Shiba Inu Team
On November 3, 2025, at precisely 06:32 UTC, a developer-linked account from the K9 team dispatched a crucial IDM. This message delineates a secure and trustless method for the return of the frozen KNINE tokens, enabling the exploiter to claim the reward before the offer dwindles and ultimately vanishes. The message stated, “Dear Shibarium Bridge Hacker… a new 20 ETH bounty awaits you for returning the stolen KNINE tokens.” It also detailed the bounty contract address and outlined the atomic settlement procedure: “The settlement will occur atomically when the recoverKnine() function is invoked. KNINE will be transferred back to the Shibarium bridge, and ETH will be sent to you.” Time constraints are clearly defined: “The bounty will start decreasing in 21 days (Nov 18) and will expire in 28 days (Nov 25).”
Understanding the Bounty Contract
The 20 ETH bounty is securely held on Ethereum at address 0x5EA2…D4d0. This contract, known as “KnineRecoveryBountyDecayAcceptMultiFunder,” currently holds 20 ETH and was created by k9dev.eth five days prior. Its interfaces allow the exploiter to authorize the bounty contract to utilize KNINE. Additionally, the exploiter can invoke an explicit accept() function to secure the deal before the team activates the recoverKnine() settlement.
Developer’s Urgent Call to Action
Kaal Dhairya, a notable Shiba Inu developer, has heightened the urgency through public communication. In a social media post, Dhairya exhorted the hacker to seize the on-chain offer: “Yo, Shibarium bridge attacker, wake up—grab free cash before the offer expires this time and do something right.” This follows extensive updates concerning a compromised validator key and a multi-entity investigation.
Final Attempt to Resolve the Issue
K9 Finance has confirmed that this initiative represents their ultimate structured effort to resolve the situation without resorting to litigation or further escalation. An article in The Shib Magazine clarifies that the 20 ETH contract fulfills a prior promise to extend one last, substantial bounty offer to the entity behind the Shibarium Bridge exploit, following the rejection of a prior 5 ETH proposal in September.
Rebuffed Negotiations and New Contract Design
Reportedly, the exploiter initially demanded 50 ETH, which K9 declined, reiterating that the KNINE in question is blacklisted and unusable. The current contract is designed to facilitate resolution “without direct communication,” relying on an atomic exchange once authorization is secured.
Warnings Against Scams
The K9 team has also advised the community to remain vigilant against scams and imposters exploiting the bounty discourse. “Be wary of scams, imposters, and malicious links. This is the final post in the thread,” the DAO cautioned in a public update, emphasizing that there will be no token migration or “v2” linked to this incident. The warning seeks to prevent fraudulent claim portals and phishing attempts, which often follow high-profile exploits and bounty announcements.
Incident Timeline and Market Impact
The “last chance” narrative underscores the incident’s progression since mid-September, when a flash-loan-aided validator capture enabled the attacker to authorize a malicious state and drain bridge assets, prompting a series of response measures and an initial bounty offer. Early reports covered the 5 ETH on-chain proposal with its 7-day decay and 30-day expiration. The current 20 ETH contract builds on this “code is law” framework but with increased stakes and a shorter decay period.
As of the latest update, Shiba Inu is trading at $0.00000907.
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