The 'Shadow Guardians' of the Cryptocurrency Industry Envision a Global Security Transformation—An Interview with Hacken CEO Dmytro Budorin

Amid the maturation and chaos of the cryptocurrency industry, a globally recognized cybersecurity company has emerged: Hacken from Ukraine. Founded during the ICO boom of 2017, the company started as an obscure small team. However, with a firm belief that 'security is essential for the sustainable development of the industry,' they have continued to protect global cryptocurrency projects with services such as smart contract audits, bug bounties, and on-chain monitoring.

Hacken's journey is more than just a story of corporate growth. Back in 2017, when scam-like ICOs were rampant and security negligence was the norm, Hacken stood out by continuously advocating for 'transparency' and 'responsibility'. They have worked with regulatory authorities to push for new rules and are now looking towards the future with AI and cryptocurrency-related IPOs.

In this interview, we delve into the story of founder Dmytro Budorin, Hacken's service model, their interactions with regulations, and their future vision. How are these 'shadow guardians' of the cryptocurrency industry planning to change the world?

Nagatomo: Can you tell us what prompted you to start Hacken?

Dmytro Budorin: First, let me share my background. I worked at Deloitte (then Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu) for eight years, dealing with both finance and IT. I also did some government work. My role was to build a cybersecurity center. At that time, our team was already trading cryptocurrencies, and by 2016-2017, our understanding had deepened.

Later, a company in Kyiv was planning an ICO and thought about creating a bug bounty platform where hackers could operate using their own tokens. In 2017, I pitched this idea on stage, won 33BTC, and received an investment offer of $500,000 on the condition of conducting an ICO. This was a turning point, and we quit our jobs to start Hacken.

Nagatomo: Can you share an early story from when you started?

Budorin: At that time in 2017, few people were seriously engaged in security. There were fewer complex smart contracts, and large-scale hacking was not as frequent, which might have been a factor. Most of the specific damages involved mismanagement of private keys or simple scams. During the ICO boom, it was common for projects to close after announcing, 'We were hacked. Sorry, it's over.' This was clearly fraudulent.

We were a young, unknown team from Ukraine, so it was difficult to prove our skills and knowledge to land major clients. We didn't raise much money from the ICO, and we haven't raised additional funds since. But we had passion. We believed that if we continued doing what we loved, the market would eventually recognize us, and indeed, we gradually became recognized in the industry.

Nagatomo: Were there knowledgeable people in the field of cybersecurity back in 2017?

Budorin: By 2017, there was already a solid community, and we were part of it. Many people helped us, and we were able to nurture young talent. Eventually, Ukraine became known as a 'world-renowned cybersecurity hub,' and we came to be regarded as one of the leading companies globally.

Nagatomo: Could you tell us what prompted Hacken to expand globally?