In March 2026, the cryptocurrency sector became the target of a record number of cyberattacks and exploits over the past year and a half. Experts from CertiK reported 46 registered incidents with total losses exceeding $39.8 million (excluding phishing schemes), surpassing all previous monthly figures since November 2024.
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“In March 2026, we recorded 46 incidents for a total loss of ~$39.8M (excluding phishing). This is the highest number of incidents recorded since November 2024.”
Including phishing attacks, the total losses in March amounted to approximately $59.5 million. A significant portion of the losses—$21.4 million—was caused by social engineering attacks.
Increasing Threats to Cryptocurrency and DeFi
According to CertiK’s report, there were 145 cyberattacks in the first quarter of 2026, with total preliminary losses exceeding $501 million. Compared to previous periods, this figure indicates a strengthening of threats in the crypto industry. Additionally, analysts from PeckShield recorded at least 20 large-scale attacks in March, with total losses around $52 million, nearly double that of February.
After a relative lull in the third quarter of 2025, there was a gradual increase in the number of attacks in the fourth quarter of 2025. By the first quarter of 2026, a new surge in hacker activity occurred. CertiK emphasized the rapid increase in cases of code vulnerability exploitation in smart contracts over the last two quarters, indicating systemic security issues in the DeFi sector.
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence and Major Incidents in March
CertiK experts also noted the potential impact of advancements in artificial intelligence on the scale of attacks. Although there is no direct evidence of this, analysts believe that new technologies may simplify the search for vulnerabilities in code, automate hacking activities, and enhance the effectiveness of social engineering attacks.
- AI can accelerate the detection of vulnerabilities in crypto projects;
- Automation of attacks increases the scale and speed of hacking;
- The use of social engineering becomes even more effective.
Amid the rise in attacks, investors are increasingly focusing on security issues when evaluating projects in the digital asset space.
Among the most notable incidents in March 2026:
- Venus (BNB Chain): the protocol suffered from an attack involving manipulation of the THE token price, resulting in the creation of “bad debt” amounting to over $2.18 million;
- Bitrefill: the platform reported a breach of hot wallets and a potential data leak of user information;
- DarkSword (attacks on iPhones): a new wave of attacks using the DarkSword virus against iPhone owners occurred in Ukraine.
In light of these events, experts recommend that projects strengthen code audits, while users should increase their attention to the security of their assets.