The first half of 2026 marked a significant milestone: total losses of crypto projects from hacks amounted to approximately $972 million, dropping the figure below the billion-dollar threshold for the first time in a long while. 207 incidents were recorded — a record number of attacks, yet the scale of losses from each attack has noticeably decreased compared to the peak values of 2025.
Particularly impressive dynamics are observed in the DeFi sector. Losses here fell by 74% from the historical peak of 2022, when damages reached $2.62 billion. Today, this figure stands at $680.3 million. The decline is the result of systematic efforts: the implementation of bug bounty programs, high-quality code audits, and an increase in the number of professional security specialists.
Shift in the Threat Paradigm
Analysis of attacks shows that the risk structure has undergone radical changes. While previously the main vectors were smart contract vulnerabilities, now infrastructure failures, private key compromises, and errors in cross-chain bridge configurations have come to the forefront. This indicates that the industry is gradually learning to protect itself at the code level, but remains vulnerable at the operational and architectural levels.
Expert commentary from Cryptalist: The reduction of losses below $1 billion is undoubtedly a positive signal, but the record number of attacks reminds us that it is too early to relax. The shift of threats to the infrastructure plane requires projects not just code audits, but a comprehensive approach to security at all stages of development and operation. Investors should pay attention not only to high-profile hacks, but also to how teams respond to incidents and what preventive measures they implement.