DeFi hackers have had an eventful first four months of 2022. According to the blockchain security team at PeckShield, DeFi exploiters have netted $1.57 billion in cryptocurrencies from January to April of this year. Additionally, the amount has already exceeded the total stolen by hackers in 2021: $1.55 billion.
The team at PeckShield shared their observation through the following statement and accompanying infographic.
As of May 1, 2022, the exploits have netted $1.57 billion from DeFi, which already surpasses the $1.55 billion stolen by exploiters throughout 2021.
2022 Could be A Big Year for DeFi Hackers and Amount in Digital Assets Lost
From the detailed infographic, it can be observed that the Beanstalk Farms exploit of $182 million was the largest in the month of April. Fei Protocol’s $80 million and Aku Dreams’ $34 million hacks come in second and third, respectively, in the same month.
Furthermore, the infographic highlights that the amount stolen from DeFi protocols in the last four months is a clear indicator that 2022 could be a record-breaking year in terms of the value of digital assets lost due to hackers.
In a similar observation back in mid-April, the team at Chainalysis had released a report that pointed out the same rapid pace at which DeFi protocols were losing funds to hackers in 2022. They explained:
…in 2022, [DeFi hackers are] shaping up to steal even more.
In the first three months of this year, hackers have stolen $1.3 billion from exchanges, platforms, and private entities—and the victims are disproportionately in DeFi.
Almost 97% of all cryptocurrency stolen in the first three months of 2022 has been taken from DeFi protocols, up from 72% in 2021 and just 30% in 2020.
Axie Infinity’s $615 Million Hack is 40% of the Amount Lost in 2022
To note is that the amount lost in 2022 has been dramatically increased by the $615 million Axie Infinity hack by the state-sponsored North Korean hacker group known as Lazarus. The loss in late March translates to 40% of the total lost in 2022 thus far.
