Highlights:
- Crypto losses near $1.4B in 2024 with hacks dominating and DeFi and CeFi showing different loss patterns.
- Q3 crypto losses dropped 38 percent year-over-year, with CeFi being hit hardest by high-value attacks at WazirX and BingX.
- Ethereum and BNB Chain face repeated attacks that underscore ongoing security challenges for major networks.
The cryptocurrency industry incurred almost $1.4 billion in financial losses in the period leading up to October 2024. Immunefi, a crypto security platform, shared that it identified 179 such attacks this year alone. Despite the losses decreasing by 1% from 2023, the numbers indicate significant problems.
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DeFi and CeFi platforms remain exposed to security threats regardless of their structure. Monthly loss numbers have declined but more frequent large-scale attacks have not. Such attacks further underscore the challenges for the industry, especially in blockchain networks.
[IMMUNEFI REPORT] Crypto industry losses top $1.4 billion this year from 179 hacks and scams
— BecauseBitcoin.com (@BecauseBitcoin) October 31, 2024
Q3 Losses Show Moderate Improvement
The third quarter witnessed some slight improvements. Q3 total losses equal $ 424 million, which is down 38% from 2023 third-quarter losses. The industry experienced a loss of $686 million in Q3 of the year 2023. Over 99% of losses in Q3 came from hacks. CeFi platforms took the heaviest hits, with two major incidents accounting for most of the quarter’s losses.
One of the biggest incidents involved WazirX. This hack resulted in $235 million in losses. Singapore’s BingX also experienced a breach, losing $52 million. Together, these two incidents accounted for 68% of Q3’s total losses. Though DeFi saw more incidents, the financial impact on DeFi was lower, totaling about $115 million. These losses in DeFi indicate a lower average cost per attack compared to CeFi.
August Crypto Losses Hit 2024 Low
In August 2024, crypto losses dropped to $15.08 million, the lowest monthly total this year. Losses decreased by 94.5% compared to July and by 38% year-over-year. Five incidents accounted for these losses, all within DeFi projects. The Ronin Network lost $12 million, while Nexera faced $1.5 million in losses.
The Immunefi Report indicates that from January to August 2024, there was a 15.5% rise in cryptocurrency theft, totaling over $1.2 billion, with DeFi incidents accounting for all losses in August.
— ByteAI News Bot (@ByteAINewsBot) August 30, 2024
Notably, all incidents stemmed from hacks; hence, no fraud cases were reported. Ethereum and BNB Chain were the primary targets, with three and two attacks, respectively. This continued focus on popular chains highlights the need for stronger defences in the crypto ecosystem.
DeFi Remains a High-Value Target for Hackers
Despite the industry’s security efforts, DeFi remains a primary target. DeFi accounts for 27% of total year-to-date losses. CeFi, while affected by fewer attacks, suffers higher financial losses per incident. Weaknesses in CeFi’s infrastructure, particularly in private key management, contribute to these severe financial impacts.
Many CeFi platforms still lack robust security practices for key management. This gap leaves CeFi systems vulnerable to high-cost attacks.
In contrast, DeFi platforms face more frequent attacks. However, Immunefi notes that DeFi projects are adopting improved security measures. Audits, smart contract redesigns, and bug bounty programs are helping these platforms reduce vulnerabilities. Yet, high-value DeFi platforms remain attractive targets. Cybercriminals continue to exploit these platforms, highlighting the limits of recent security improvements.
The industry has also seen a decline in fraud incidents. October and August reported no fraud cases, possibly due to enhanced screening and auditing. Immunefi states that whitehat hackers returned $14.9 million in stolen funds in 2024. This recovery accounts for about 3.5% of the total year’s losses.
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