Why are hackers more inclined to steal Ethereum rather than Bitcoin?
In the world of blockchain, hacking incidents are frequent, and the stolen assets are often predominantly Ethereum (ETH), rather than Bitcoin (BTC). The reasons behind this mainly include the following points:
1. ETH has greater potential for price increase
As the base currency of a smart contract platform, Ethereum has a richer application scenario, and its potential for future appreciation may exceed that of Bitcoin. Hackers often hope to acquire assets with greater growth potential.
2. BTC lacks smart contract functionality
Bitcoin is mainly used for value storage and does not support complex smart contract features. In contrast, Ethereum's smart contracts greatly expand application scenarios while also introducing more security vulnerabilities, making it easier to become a target for attacks.
3. ETH has more smart contract vulnerabilities
Ethereum's smart contracts are primarily written in Solidity, which is comparatively harder to secure than Bitcoin's scripting language, leading to frequent vulnerabilities. Many hackers exploit these vulnerabilities to carry out attacks.
4. ETH is easier to launder through mixing technologies
The Ethereum ecosystem has a large number of mixing tools, enabling hackers to more easily conceal the flow of stolen funds, while tracking on the Bitcoin blockchain is relatively transparent and makes money laundering more difficult.
5. ETH lacks native multi-signature protection
Ethereum's multi-signature feature relies on smart contracts, which may have vulnerabilities or be misused. In contrast, Bitcoin's native multi-signature mechanism is more secure, resulting in lower storage risks for BTC.
6. Stealing BTC carries higher risks, potentially triggering FBI involvement
The Bitcoin community is highly attentive, and transaction records are nearly immutable. If a large amount of BTC is stolen, it can easily attract the intervention of global law enforcement agencies (such as the FBI), putting hackers at greater risk.
Summary: The smart contract ecosystem of Ethereum provides greater flexibility but also brings more security risks. Additionally, the lower difficulty in laundering ETH makes it a preferred target for hackers. In contrast, Bitcoin's higher security and greater risks make it relatively less susceptible to attacks.