The cryptocurrency industry suffered an unprecedented wave of security breaches in April 2026, with 29 reported hacks-the highest monthly total on record. Losses exceeded $635 million, with the Drift Protocol and KelpDAO exploits accounting for the bulk of the damage.
State-sponsored North Korean hackers, specifically the Lazarus Group, were responsible for approximately 95% of the incidents. The surge in cyberattacks comes as Anthropic released its Claude Mythos AI models, which experts say could be used to automate complex cyber exploits. The breaches are part of a broader effort by North Korea to fund its weapons programs through cyber-financial theft, now amplified by advanced artificial intelligence.
Market confidence in Ethereum reaching $4,000 in April has declined sharply, with prediction markets pricing a 0.1% chance of that outcome. Meanwhile, markets show 100% odds that Anthropic will provide Mythos to the US government by June 30, despite the security risks.