Hacked crypto funds falls 98% YoY to $1.9 billion as US leads attacks: Report

In 2023, the blockchain security landscape witnessed a $50 billion drop in lost crypto assets, depicting a shift towards enhanced security protocols and the maturation of the DeFi ecosystem.

According to crypto security firm Hacken’s end-of-year report, last year marked a notable reduction in the scale of financial damages from hacks and scams. Total losses amounted to $1.9 billion, starkly contrasting the staggering figures recorded in previous years. The decrease in lost value signals a significant advancement in the industry’s efforts to fortify security measures and address vulnerabilities more effectively.

Across the industry, BNB Chain was subjected to the most attacks, at 214, with Ethereum in second place at 178. Notably, most BNB Chain and Ethereum hacks were categorized as ‘rug pulls,’ at 148 and 97, respectively.

The report also highlights the geographical distribution of blockchain exploits, with significant hotspots emerging in regions with high fintech activity. This geographic analysis provides valuable insights into the global nature of blockchain vulnerabilities and the need for a coordinated international response to address these challenges.

The United States saw the most at 15, with Singapore (13) and the UK (5) in second and third. China, in fourth place with four, had one of the lowest value stolen per hack at an average of $5 million compared with the United States at $10 million, Singapore at $23 million, and the UK at $40 million.

The year-on-year reduction in losses does not imply a diminished threat landscape. On the contrary, the number of attacks increased by 14% compared to the previous year, highlighting an evolving and expanding attack surface. The diversity of these attacks, ranging from sophisticated access control breaches to flash loan attacks, indicates that attackers continuously refine their strategies to exploit the complex web of DeFi and blockchain technologies.