Crypto hacks return: Is $35M in exploits the start of another DeFi FUD cycle?

Is another wave of DeFi FUD building beneath the surface?

Flashback to the Q1-Q2 cycle, the crypto market went through one of its biggest DeFi security scares after three back-to-back hacks wiped out over $600 million. The result was a sharp liquidity outflow, with DeFi TVL dropping to Q2 2024 levels at just over $65 billion.

The selling pressure quickly spread across major protocols, with Ethereum alone losing more than $10 billion in TVL in less than 48 hours.

Now, the same narrative is starting to resurface.

At press time, three DeFi exploits have already resulted in $35.55 million in losses. While the amount is much smaller than the Q1-Q2 hacks, the market is already calling it the worst day for DeFi in months, bringing back memories of the earlier hack-driven selloff.

Notably, AFX suffered the biggest loss after attackers stole $24.2 million in USDC from its Arbitrum bridge and moved the funds to Ethereum.

BSquared Network was the second-largest victim, losing around $3.9 million after an attacker drained 8.6 million B2 tokens. VerusCoin also suffered a bridge exploit worth roughly $7.5 million, pushing the combined losses across the three protocols to $35.55 million.

Interestingly, all three attacks targeted the same part of the DeFi stack: Cross-chain bridges.

Put simply, even though the protocols operate in different ecosystems, the attack vector was identical.

That once again puts the spotlight on bridge infrastructure, which continues to be one of DeFi’s biggest security risks. The timing is also what makes this more interesting.

These exploits come as another key development is unfolding, adding fresh uncertainty to the market.

Crypto hacks put DeFi under pressure as the Drift exploit resurfaces

The $35 million exploit wave couldn’t have come at a worse time for DeFi.

Just as three cross-chain bridges were hacked in a single day, the hacker behind the Drift exploit has started moving stolen funds again.

Earlier this year, Drift Protocol suffered one of the largest DeFi exploits after attackers drained $285 million, triggering a sharp wave of risk-off sentiment across the sector.

Now, the stolen funds are on the move again.

According to Onchain Lens, the attacker is funneling $ETH through the Tornado Cash Router in repeated 100 $ETH batches, with multiple transactions being executed every minute.

While the transfers don’t necessarily signal an immediate selloff, they have brought the Drift hack back into focus at a time when DeFi is already dealing with a fresh wave of bridge exploits.

Notably, this is where the timing starts to stand out.

According to DeFiLlama data, DeFi had finally started to regain momentum, with TVL climbing by more than $10 billion in July, marking the strongest monthly increase since the Q1-Q2 hack wave.

However, the latest $35 million in crypto hacks has injected fresh uncertainty into that recovery. If more exploits follow, the market could once again shift its focus from capital inflows to protocol security, reviving the same DeFi FUD that dominated earlier this year.

Final Summary

• Three bridge hacks wiped out $35.55 million in one day, while the hacker behind the $285 million Drift exploit started moving stolen funds again.
• After DeFi TVL recovered by over $10 billion in July, fresh crypto hacks could bring DeFi FUD back into the market.