DeFi Hacking Attacks Surge by 70% in 2026

The decentralized finance (DeFi) sector has experienced a significant surge in hacking attacks in 2026, resulting in losses exceeding $840 million. This represents a 70% increase from the same period last year, with April alone accounting for over $635 million of the total losses.

The two largest hacks occurred at KelpDAO and Drift Protocol, with losses totaling $292 million and $285 million respectively. Roughly 70% of this year's losses can be attributed to stolen keys and logins, highlighting the importance of secure practices in DeFi.

A common thread among these attacks is the use of compromised technology, phishing, and imitation applications to steal signing keys. Hardware wallets, multi-signatories, and publicly audited security are recommended as countermeasures.