DeFi Lending Plagued by Record Number of Price-Manipulation Exploits

DeFi lending has hit a record high in price-manipulation exploits, according to KuCoin. The firm reported that there have been a staggering 32 such incidents in 2026, with one in eight crypto hacks attributed to these types of attacks.

This trend is particularly concerning for traders, as it highlights the systemic risks within the DeFi ecosystem. These exploits can impact liquidity and investor confidence in the sector.

A recent incident on Cronos saw an attacker drive a thinly traded token's price up by approximately 100 times in just 20 minutes. This allowed them to borrow an estimated $75 million from a lending protocol, emphasizing the vulnerabilities of illiquid collateral.