Centralized Exchange and DeFi Losses Dominate 2026 Crypto Hacks Despite Hardware Wallet Failures
By Juan Galt
AI summary of the source article
Crypto hacks generated roughly $2.35 billion in net losses in 2026, driven primarily by centralized exchange and DeFi breaches. The largest thefts included a $387.5 million drain from Bitget and a $320 million exploit on Liquid Network.
Why it matters
The text notes that "the lowered barrier for discovering and weaponizing bugs adds a new layer of risk, particularly for complex smart-contract systems and sidechains."
Key facts
- Crypto hacks caused approximately $2.35 billion in net losses across 230 protocols year-to-date in 2026.
- Bitget suffered the largest single loss of roughly $387.5 million from hot and warm wallets, linked to North Korea.
- Liquid Network was exploited for about 4,000 bitcoins valued near $320 million, though 3,400 BTC were subsequently returned.
Source excerpt · Bitcoin Magazine
Bitcoin Magazine Centralized Exchange and DeFi Losses Dominate 2026 Crypto Hacks Despite Hardware Wallet Failures Lightning.news data shared with Bitcoin Magazine puts net 2026 crypto hack losses at roughly $2.35 billion after freezes and returns. September alone accounted for about $768 million, led by Bitget’s September 24 hot-and-warm wallet drain and Liquid Network’s Elements bug. This post Ce…