Crypto Theft Surges to $2.5 Billion in First Half of 2025
In teh first half of 2025, nearly $2.5 billion in cryptocurrencies where stolen in 290 incidents. This surpasses the total losses of 2024, according to CertiK’s Hack3d report.
Compromised wallets led the way, causing over $1.7 billion in losses across 34 cases. Phishing attacks came next, draining more than $410 million in 132 incidents. Code vulnerabilities caused $283 million in losses across 114 cases. Exit scams and price manipulation were less common but still notable, totaling nearly $20 million. Access control exploits added $42 million in damages.
Two major events, the Bybit hack and the Cetus protocol exploit, accounted for 72% of the thefts.These two incidents alone caused $1.78 billion in damages.The Bybit hack in Q1 and the Cetus exploit in Q2 were the biggest contributors. Phishing attacks were widespread, affecting 132 cases.These attacks highlight the ongoing risks in the crypto space.
Q1 saw $1.67 billion in losses, more than double Q2’s $801 million. Phishing was the most common attack in Q2, costing $395 million. Ethereum was the most targeted blockchain, losing over $1.58 billion in 164 incidents.Bitcoin faced $373 million in losses across 10 incidents. The Bybit hack and Cetus protocol exploit were notably damaging. They highlight the need for better security measures.
Phishing was the most frequent attack, impacting 52% of all thefts. Code flaws caused $283 million in 114 incidents. Exit scams and price manipulation added to the damage.CertiK’s report shows a worrying trend. The Bybit breach and Cetus protocol exploit were the biggest hits. These two incidents alone caused $1.7 billion in losses. Ethereum was the most targeted, with $1.58 billion stolen in 164 cases. Bitcoin saw $373 million lost in 10 incidents. The Bybit hack and Cetus protocol exploit were the biggest hits. The Bybit hack alone drained $1.7 billion. The Cetus protocol issue took $225.6 million.
TRM Labs, a blockchain intelligence firm, estimated $2.1 billion in crypto losses across 75 incidents during the same period. Most were due to infrastructure-level breaches like private key thefts and front-end hijacks.
While the pace of attacks slowed in Q2, major incidents still caused significant damage. Ethereum was the most targeted,losing over $1.58 billion. Bitcoin followed with $373 million in losses. CertiK noted that $187 million in stolen funds were returned,bringing adjusted total losses to $2.28 billion. Of this, $180 million was recovered in Q2 alone.