Hacking has plagued cryptocurrency markets, with billions stolen from exchanges and platforms over the years. Here’s a detailed look at the most devastating crypto hacks to date, their methods, and their aftermath:
💣 1. Ronin Network – $625 Million
Date: March 2022
What Happened: Hackers targeted the Axie Infinity blockchain gaming platform's Ronin Network, stealing $625 million in Ether and USDC.
Perpetrators: North Korean Lazarus Group.
Outcome: Sky Mavis recovered $5.7 million, but it remains the largest crypto hack in history.
💣 2. Poly Network – $611 Million
Date: August 2021
What Happened: Exploited vulnerabilities in the Poly Network’s DeFi protocols.
Unique Twist: The hacker began returning the stolen funds, claiming they targeted the platform “for fun.” Around $300 million was recovered.
💣 3. Binance BNB Bridge – $569 Million
Date: October 2022
What Happened: Hackers exploited the BSC Token Hub, a cross-chain bridge, to mint 2 million BNB.
Method: A bug in the smart contract enabled the breach, sparking major security concerns for blockchain bridges.
💣 4. Coincheck – $532 Million
Date: January 2018
What Happened: The Japanese exchange suffered a breach of its hot wallet, resulting in the theft of 523 million NEM coins.
Impact: Coincheck survived but was acquired by Monex Group after the incident.
💣 5. FTX – $477 Million
Date: November 2022
What Happened: As FTX filed for bankruptcy, hackers stole $477 million from the exchange.
Impact: Wallets showed $0 balances, and FTX apps were flagged as malware.
💣 6. Mt. Gox – $473 Million
Date: Multiple incidents, notably 2014
What Happened: The exchange lost nearly 850,000 bitcoins (worth $473 million at the time) due to repeated attacks.
Legacy: This infamous hack exposed significant vulnerabilities in early crypto exchanges.
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