EN ▼
Favorites
My Favorites
View All
Market Cap Price 24h%

Disclaimer: Content does not constitute investment advice. Trading involves risks—please invest with caution!

Cryptocurrency hacker losses soared 177% to $210.3 million in July, the third largest monthly loss i

2026-08-01 12:57:42
Bookmark

Crypto-hacking losses surged 177% in July 2024 to US$210.3 million, the third highest monthly loss during the year

According to the latest industry data, losses caused by cryptocurrency-related hacking attacks surged to US$210.3 million in July 2024, up 177% from US$75.87 million in June. These losses were scattered in 30 separate incidents, highlighting the serious security challenges faced by the digital asset ecosystem despite continued improvements in protocol defenses.

Key events driving soaring losses

Losses this month were mainly dominated by a few major security breach incidents, with the top five incidents causing losses totaling more than $150 million. The largest of these was the breach of Coldcard's wallet, resulting in a loss of approximately $70 million. The incident, the third-largest hacking attack this year, exposed vulnerabilities in the hardware wallet security field-an area previously considered one of the strongest lines of defense.

Other major attacks include exploits against the Arbitrum based protocol AFX and the decentralized derivatives platform Ostium, which each lost approximately US$24 million. Systems related to Bonk miniin lost $21.2 million, while Wanchain Bridge lost $13 million due to cross-chain attacks. These incidents reflect a general trend of attackers targeting cross-chain bridges and the DeFi protocol-platforms that often hold large pools of liquid capital.

Background and Analysis

July's loss data brings total losses so far in 2024 to more than $1.2 billion, exceeding the total for the whole year of 2022 and 2023. The continued huge losses suggest that despite improvements in some security practices, the overall attack surface is still expanding as new projects and tokens continue to come online.

The rise in losses comes amid increasingly active market activity and the prices of Bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies are near record highs. This environment often attracts both legitimate investors and malicious actors, because as market value grows, the potential benefits of high-value theft increase.

Why this matters

For investors and users, these incidents are a stark reminder of the inherent risks in the cryptocurrency space. The diversity of attack methods-from hardware wallet vulnerabilities to smart contract exploits-means that no single security measure can be fully effective. Users are recommended to decentralize storage methods, use multi-signature wallets for large assets, and keep abreast of the security status of the platforms they use.

For the industry as a whole, the continuing losses highlight the need for stricter security standards, especially for cross-chain bridges and newly launched protocols-projects that are often targeted within days of launch.

Conclusion

The 177% surge in hacker losses in July is a clear sign that the cryptocurrency ecosystem still has a lot of work to do to protect user funds. Although the industry has made progress in areas such as insurance and vulnerability bounties, the scale and complexity of attacks continue to evolve. As the market matures, security is expected to become a key factor in distinguishing projects, and users will increasingly tend to choose platforms that demonstrate a strong commitment to asset protection.

FAQs

Q: What was the largest cryptocurrency hack in July 2024?
Answer: The biggest incident was the breach of Coldcard's wallet, with an estimated loss of US$70 million, making it the third largest incident this year.

Q: How much was the total loss in July?
Answer: The 30 incidents caused a total loss of US$210.3 million, an increase of 177% from US$75.87 million in June.

Question: What are the most common targets of these hacking attacks?
Answer: Attackers frequently target cross-chain bridges, DeFi protocols, and new online projects, usually using smart contract vulnerabilities or private key leaks to attack.

Disclaimer:

All content published on this website, including hyperlinks, related applications, forums, blogs, and other media accounts, originates from third-party platforms and their users. CoinMarketInsight makes no representations or warranties of any kind regarding the website or its content. All blockchain-related data and materials are provided for informational and research purposes only and do not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Users and third parties are solely responsible for the content they publish. CoinMarketInsight shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this website. You should exercise caution and conduct your own independent research, review, analysis, and verification before making any decisions.

Read Full Article
More News
TOP

TOP