Crypto Community Slams LayerZero: More Verifiers Won’t Stop The Next $290M Hack
NewsBTC·60-word summary·1 min read
LayerZero faced criticism after a $290 million hack of KelpDAO, blamed on a compromised verifier configuration. The attack, linked to North Korea’s Lazarus Group, exploited weaknesses in LayerZero’s cross-chain bridge. Despite claims of a “highly sophisticated attack,” the incident raised concerns about the security of LayerZero’s decentralized verifier networks, just weeks after Drift Protocol’s $285 million breach.
Curve founder questioned the DeFi industry’s security after over $750 million was lost in hacks. The incidents raised concerns about the safety of major protocols like Aave and rsETH, which claimed their code was secure. The industry faces scrutiny as users’ funds remain vulnerable, prompting calls for better security measures and industry accountability.
Ethereum's co-founder Vitalik Buterin emphasizes prioritizing security over speed amid ongoing DeFi exploits, highlighting a shift toward a security-first approach. This change reflects concerns over systemic risks in the ecosystem and could influence future development strategies, signaling a potential revaluation of Ethereum's priorities in response to increasing vulnerabilities in decentralized finance platforms.
A KelpDAO hacker moved $175 million after Arbitrum froze $71 million linked to a $292 million exploit on April 21, 2026. The incident underscores ongoing security vulnerabilities in DeFi platforms, emphasizing the need for stronger safeguards to prevent future exploits. The hacker's actions follow Arbitrum's attempt to recover funds from the large-scale breach.
On April 21, the Arbitrum Security Council froze 30,766 ETH, worth approximately $70 million, from the KelpDAO exploiter on Arbitrum One. The funds were moved to a protocol-controlled address to prevent bridging back to the Ethereum mainnet. Peckshield identified the exploiter, prompting the emergency onchain action to secure the assets.
The Arbitrum Security Council has frozen 30,766 ETH, worth approximately $70 million, linked to the KelpDAO exploit on April 21, 2026. This emergency measure aims to prevent attacker access and safeguard user funds, but it has sparked debates over decentralization within crypto systems. The freeze highlights ongoing security challenges in the Web3 space.
Gunvor has warned that a three-month closure of the Strait of Hormuz could significantly increase global recession risks, potentially worsening economic vulnerabilities worldwide. The company’s statement highlights the critical importance of the strait for global trade and energy supplies, emphasizing that prolonged closure could have severe economic repercussions, including heightened recession threats.
