LayerZero links the $292 million KelpDAO cross-chain bridge hack to North Korea's Lazarus group. The attack was highly targeted, exposing a design flaw that was left unaddressed. The incident highlights ongoing security risks in DeFi, with Lazarus known for sophisticated exploits. The hack underscores the need for better cross-chain protocol security.
On April 18, a Justin Sun-linked wallet withdrew 274 million USDT from Aave shortly after the protocol froze its rsETH markets following the KelpDAO exploit. The withdrawal occurred just 21 minutes after the freeze, raising concerns about potential security and liquidity issues linked to the wallet. This incident highlights ongoing risks in DeFi security and asset management.
Arbitrum’s Security Council has frozen 30,766 ETH, worth approximately $71 million, linked to the Kelp DAO exploit on April 21, 2026. The funds were moved to a governance-controlled wallet, preventing access by the attacker. This freeze accounts for about a quarter of the $292 million stolen in the hack, which LayerZero preliminarily attributed to North Korea’s Lazarus group.
AAVE’s token dropped 26% after a $292 million hack linked to Kelp DAO. The attacker drained rsETH tokens, used as collateral on Aave V3, causing $280 million in bad debt. Total value locked fell over a third to $17.5 billion, with $9 billion in net outflows. The incident raises concerns about DeFi security and liquidity risks.
A fake police raid led to a $1 million Bitcoin theft, highlighting the rise of physical threats to crypto assets. Wrench attacks are increasingly used to force transfers, exposing new security risks beyond digital hacks. The incident underscores the need for enhanced security measures in crypto custody and transfer processes.
DeFi lost over $600 million in recent weeks following exploits on Kelp DAO and Drift Protocol. The Kelp DAO breach drained $292 million via a manipulated cross-chain bridge on LayerZero, while the Drift Protocol hack cost approximately $285 million, marking the largest Solana-based attack. Total value locked in DeFi dropped to $82.4 billion, a one-year low and 25% decline since January 2026.
Iran condemned a US attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, escalating regional tensions. The incident, which occurred recently, heightens concerns over potential disruptions to global shipping routes and oil markets. The escalation increases geopolitical instability in the region, with implications for international trade and security. No specific financial figures were reported in the incident.
