Champaign Blockchain Meetup

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About us

This is group is for anyone interested in distributed ledger technology (i.e. blockchains, cryptography, smart contracts, decentralized applications (DApps) cryptocurrency/tokens, and relevant related subjects). Everyone is welcome!

Our regular meetings are the third Friday of each month and will have an educational component as well as a discussion component at our meetups. We also have special events and co-sponsor events on campus that relate to the Blockchain industry. Join if you seek to learn about this industry and have a great time.

Our group is sponsored by the University of Illinois Research Park, a leading innovation hub for technology commercialization with a unique environment that cultivates startups and increases capabilities for established companies. The mixed-use composition promotes creative collisions and interdisciplinary collaborations, strengthening the bridge between campus and community.

Upcoming events

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The $6.3 Billion Binance Hack: When Valid Signatures Aren't Enough
Fri, Nov 20 · 12:00 PM CST
EnterpriseWorks @ U of I Research Park, 60 Hazelwood Dr, Champaign, IL, US
We are migrating to a new calendar! Please RSVP at the following link if you are interested in attending our upcoming Blockchain Meetup:
- https://luma.com/xusmv9pp
This month we will examine the October 2026 Binance hack, how attackers were able to compromise cryptocurrency wallets, and why even sophisticated security systems can fail.

On October 29, 2026, attackers carried out a coordinated theft involving approximately $6.3 billion in cryptocurrency across multiple blockchains. Investigators identified a particularly fascinating attack on Ethereum involving EIP-7702, a feature that allows ordinary wallets to delegate execution to smart contracts. By exploiting Binance's wallet-signing infrastructure, the attackers were able to redirect a hot wallet's execution to malicious code and transfer billions in assets. Remarkably, Binance reported no evidence that the underlying private keys had been stolen.

This incident raises fundamental questions about how cryptocurrency security actually works. If a digital signature is valid, does that mean a transaction was legitimately authorized? Do newer wallet capabilities introduce dangerous security vulnerabilities? And what responsibilities do exchanges, wallet developers, and blockchain networks have when something goes wrong?

We'll walk through the attack in accessible language, explore the technical and organizational failures, and discuss what this case teaches us about the future of cryptocurrency security. No advanced technical background is required.

We will meet in the Enterprise Works building of the Research Park where there is open parking for guests and a CUMTD bus stop. Please RSVP so we know how many to expect, as lunch will be provided!
4 attendees