Crypto hacks soar in 2025 as security gaps widen

The platforms lost more than $3.1 billion in the first half of 2025, with AI-powered hacks and phishing scams leading the surge.
Hacken reports a 1,025% rise in AI-related crypto hacks, mostly caused by insecure APIs and prompt injection flaws.

According to Hacken’s latest research, the crypto sector has already recorded more than $3.1 billion in losses during the first half of 2025. That figure already exceeds 2024, mainly due to access control flaws, phishing, and AI-driven exploits.

Access control remains the most significant weakness, responsible for almost 60% of recorded losses. The most severe breach was the Bybit attack, where North Korean hackers exploited a wallet signer vulnerability to steal $1.46 billion.

Other incidents include UPCX’s $70 million loss, a manipulated price oracle exploit on KiloEx, and insider fraud involving the Roar staking contract.

Phishing and social engineering continue to evolve, accounting for nearly $600 million in stolen funds. One victim reportedly lost $330 million in Bitcoin, while fake Coinbase support calls drained over $100 million from user wallets.

Meanwhile, AI-related hacks have exploded in volume, increasing by more than 1,000% compared to last year. Most of these incidents stem from insecure APIs and flaws in large language model integrations.

Experts warn that smarter attackers and Web3’s fragmented security practices demand a stronger approach. Hacken advises combining blockchain standards with off-chain protections and better training to stay ahead of threats.

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