Fears that the integration of artificial intelligence would trigger an avalanche of cyberattacks on the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector have proven premature. Haseeb Qureshi, managing partner of the crypto fund Dragonfly, presented fresh data showing an unexpected trend: despite a record number of recorded incidents, the median damage from attacks in 2026 fell below $500,000, compared to about $2 million a year earlier.
The Security Paradox: Frequency Rises, Damage Declines
At first glance, the increase in the number of hacks should have confirmed pessimistic forecasts. However, Qureshi points to a key shift in attackers' tactics. In my assessment, the majority of AI-powered attacks today target small, little-known, or abandoned projects with minimal security and negligible liquidity. Large DeFi protocols, on the other hand, have successfully adapted: they have implemented advanced monitoring systems, automated response mechanisms, and multi-layered audit checks, making them extremely difficult targets even for AI algorithms.
This shift indicates market maturity. Whereas hackers once chased "whales"—large liquidity pools—they are now forced to hunt for "small fry," reducing the average profitability of each operation. From my perspective, this is a positive signal: the industry has learned to protect its core assets, although the problem of the "gray zone"—small and forgotten contracts—remains open. Investors should be more careful in choosing protocols, favoring proven platforms with an active development team.