Record Crypto Hacks in First Half of 2026 Exceed $1 Billion

Crypto projects have suffered record losses in the first half of 2026 due to hacks, according to a report by Blockaid. The company states that approximately $1.1 billion was lost in the six-month period, with the number of confirmed exploits reaching an all-time high.

The report highlights that onchain incidents hit a record high, 3.4 times higher than the total for 2025. Blockaid notes that the period is 'the most hack-prone half-year in history' in terms of incidents, with 212 successful attacks.

The largest share of stolen funds was attributed to actors linked to North Korea, accounting for 55%. Analysts attribute attacks on Drift and KelpDAO to them. The company also highlights social engineering via LinkedIn as a key tactic of hackers, which led to two of the four largest incidents of the half-year.

Blockaid's estimates differ from data from Immunefi's Ecosystem Update report for June 2026, which estimated industry losses at approximately $972 million with 207 incidents. However, both reports agree on a record number of incidents and significant losses in DeFi projects.