Ethereum News Today: Crypto Hacks Cost $2.47 Billion in First Half 2025 as Ethereum Suffers Most

Generated by AI AgentCoin World
Tuesday, Aug 26, 2025 10:42 pm ET1min read
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Aime RobotAime Summary

- CertiK reports $2.47B in crypto hacks during H1 2025, with Bybit's $1.5B breach accounting for 65% of losses.

- Ethereum faced 175 attacks causing $1.63B in losses, primarily through smart contract vulnerabilities and stETH exploits.

- Phishing, wallet compromises, and social engineering dominated Q2 attacks, with only $187M recovered from stolen assets.

- Experts warn of "endless war" against hackers, urging stronger key management, contract audits, and user education to mitigate risks.

The first half of 2025 marked a significant escalation in cyber threats within the cryptocurrency sector, with global losses from hacking incidents reaching $2.47 billion, according to a report by CertiK, a blockchain security firm [1]. This figure represents a sharp increase from previous years and underscores the intensifying sophistication of cybercriminals targeting both centralized and decentralized platforms [2]. The Bybit exchange hack in February alone accounted for $1.5 billion in stolen funds, marking the largest single incident in this period and nearly two-thirds of the total losses [1].

CertiK’s analysis highlights that

Ethereum
was the most frequently targeted blockchain network, with 175 attacks recorded in the first half of the year. These attacks led to $1.63 billion in losses, primarily affecting Ethereum and staked Ether (stETH) [2]. Smart contract vulnerabilities and operational weaknesses were common entry points for hackers, leading to substantial disruptions in financial activity across blockchain protocols [1].

In the second quarter of 2025, losses totaled $801 million, with 144 attacks reported. Although the number of incidents decreased compared to the first quarter, the magnitude of the damage remained severe, indicating that the threat landscape remains highly active [2]. Common attack methods included phishing schemes and wallet compromises, with cybercriminals increasingly leveraging social engineering tactics to manipulate users into approving fraudulent transactions [2].

Ronghui Gu, co-founder of CertiK and a professor at Columbia University, described the ongoing battle with hackers as an “endless war.” He emphasized that as long as vulnerabilities exist—whether in code or in user behavior—criminals will continue to exploit them [2]. Gu cited instances where users lost millions due to signing fraudulent transactions or approving malicious contracts unknowingly [2].

Experts note that while only $187 million of the stolen assets have been recovered, $2.29 billion remains unrecovered, exacerbating the financial impact on victims and platforms alike [1]. Historical trends indicate that similar vulnerabilities have led to major losses in the past, such as the Tether Hack in 2017 [1].

In response to these developments, industry leaders are pushing for stronger security measures, including tighter key management, enhanced smart contract audits, and improved user education [1]. Regulators and developers are also collaborating to safeguard decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols and centralized exchanges against future breaches [1].

Sources:

[1] AInvest. (2025, August 11). Crypto Hacks Surge 2025 2.47 Billion Stolen. https://www.ainvest.com/news/crypto-hacks-surge-2025-2-47-billion-stolen-2508-11/

[2] ForkLog. (2025, August 15). CertiK Founder Describes Battle with Hackers as 'Endless'. https://forklog.com/en/certik-founder-describes-battle-with-hackers-as-endless/