In the first half of 2026, cryptocurrency projects lost approximately $972 million as a result of 207 incidents. This is a record number of attacks, but total losses have significantly decreased compared to the same period in 2025. Analysts at Immunefi note that the average damage per hack is declining, indicating an increase in the overall resilience of the ecosystem.
DeFi sector shows a sharp drop in losses
Losses in decentralized finance (DeFi) have decreased by 74% from the peak level of 2022 — from $2.62 billion to $680.3 million. The main drivers of this decline are bug bounty programs, higher quality smart contract audits, and an increase in the number of qualified security professionals. However, one should not relax: even with the overall improvement in the situation, isolated large-scale hacks can still cause serious damage.
Shift in threat vector: from smart contracts to infrastructure
A key trend in the first half of 2026 is the shift in risks from classic smart contract vulnerabilities to infrastructure failures, private key compromises, and errors in cross-chain configurations. This indicates that hackers are adapting and switching to more complex and less studied attacks. Projects need to prioritize security at the architecture and key management levels.
Expert opinion: The reduction in losses is a positive signal, but the record number of incidents reminds us that the crypto industry remains the number one target for attackers. Investors and developers should focus on preventive measures rather than post-factum response.