Crypto hackers stole over $169 million in cryptocurrency from 34 decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols in the first quarter of 2026, marking a significant decline from the $1.58 billion stolen in Q1 2025. The largest exploit was the $40 million private key compromise at Step Finance in January, followed by a $26.4 million ether (ETH) drain from Truebit on Jan. 8. Resolv Labs, a stablecoin issuer, was targeted with a private key compromise on March 21.
Nick Percoco, Kraken's chief security officer, noted that cybercriminal activity rises during bull markets, major product launches, and periods of rapid growth. He emphasized that vulnerabilities can be exploited in any market environment, particularly in complex systems. North Korea-linked actors remain a persistent threat, targeting both investors and Web3 companies. Security experts predict an increase in sophisticated credential theft, social engineering, and AI-powered attacks in 2026.