Crypto hackers stole over $168.6 million (roughly Rs. 1,400 crore) from 34 decentralised finance (DeFi) protocols in the first quarter of 2026, marking a sharp decline compared to the same period last year, as per the data from DeFiLlama. The drop comes after a record loss of $1.58 billion (roughly Rs. 13,100 crore) in the first quarter of 2025. Despite the decline, security experts warn that vulnerabilities persist, with attackers continuing to target high-value platforms across the crypto ecosystem.
Major Exploits Decline but Attack Patterns Continue to Evolve
According to DeFiLlama, the total amount of money lost in crypto across all protocols was $453.65 million (roughly Rs. 3,770 crore), of which $446.29 million (roughly Rs. 3,710 crore) was due to DeFi exploits. Bridge-related hacks accounted for $13.7 million (approximately Rs. 114 crore).
A breakdown by technique reveals that compromised admin accounts combined with fake token price manipulation accounted for the largest share at $285 million (roughly Rs. 2,640 crore), representing 63.3 percent of total losses.
Other notable methods included private key compromises, bonding curve exploits, unlimited approval exploits, and oracle price manipulation, alongside smaller contributions from flash loan attacks, donation exploits, slippage exploits, and spoofed cross-chain message attacks.
Nick Percoco, Chief Security Officer at Kraken, reportedly said that cybercriminal activity in crypto is not tied to fixed timelines but instead follows market cycles. He added that “bull markets, major product launches, and fast-moving growth phases all create more attractive conditions for attackers because more value is at stake and new infrastructure can introduce risk.”
The findings come amid rising concerns over crypto-related security threats globally. In recent months, US authorities have taken action against illicit crypto operations, including sanctioning networks linked to North Korean cyber activities and issuing warnings about phishing attacks targeting blockchain users. These developments highlight the broader challenges faced by the industry in strengthening security and preventing misuse of digital assets.
While the decline in losses suggests some improvement in security practices, the continued frequency of attacks indicates that risks remain significant. As the crypto market evolves and attracts more capital, experts believe that stronger safeguards, better user awareness, and improved infrastructure will be critical to reducing the impact of future exploits and ensuring long-term trust in decentralised financial systems.
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