$๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ง ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ค๐ฌ โ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐๐ค
๐จ Hackers Hit Hard, But So Did Defenders
In May 2025, crypto hackers stole $244.1 million across 20 major incidents โ but thanks to quick action, 71% of that was recovered, according to PeckShield.
Thatโs a 39.29% drop from April, when over $400 million was lost. Still, one exploit dominated Mayโs numbers.
๐งจ Cetus DEX Was the Main Target
๐น On May 22, Cetus DEX was drained for $223M, making up ~90% of all May losses
๐น Attackers exploited a Most Significant Bit (MSB) check flaw to manipulate liquidity
๐น They opened huge positions with minimal funds, draining pools
๐น Luckily, $157M was frozen and recovered by Cetus and the Sui Network โ a 71% recovery rate
๐ Other Major Hacks in May
Cork Protocol โ $12M stolen via 3,761 wstETH
DPRK-linked Attack โ $5.2M tied to North Korea's Lazarus Group
MBU Token Exploit โ $2.2M lost due to contract flaws
MapleStory Universe โ $1.2M drained in a targeted exploit
๐ Hack Volume Is Dropping
Despite these incidents, total losses fell sharply from April โ and even more so from February, when $1.53B was stolen in a single quarter (mostly due to the Bybit exploit).
โก๏ธ February: $1.53B
โก๏ธ April: $400M+
โก๏ธ May: $244.1M
๐ This trend suggests better security, faster response times, and improved collaboration across protocols.
โ ๏ธ But the Threat Isnโt Over Yet
Attackers are constantly evolving. Even small bugs โ like an MSB logic flaw โ can lead to nine-figure losses.
The key lessons from May:
โ Quick action can save millions
โ Code audits and contract hardening are critical
โ Platforms must stay vigilant โ always
๐ง Final Take
May 2025 showed hope and danger in equal measure.
๐ธ The $244M loss shows threats remain real.
๐ But recovering 71% of stolen funds proves defensive tools are improving.
