The first half of 2025 marked an unprecedented rise in cyber attacks within the cryptocurrency industry, leading to significant losses. New laundering methods have changed the landscape of digital crimes.
Cyber Attacks Reach Record Levels
According to a report by Global Ledger, in the first six months of 2025, 119 separate hacking incidents resulted in the theft of over $3 billion. This already exceeds total losses for all of 2024 by more than 50%. The attacks are increasing not only in number but also in the speed at which stolen funds are moved.
Cross-Chain Bridges Outpace Mixers
In the first half of 2025, more than $1.5 billion, or 50.1% of all hacked assets, were routed through cross-chain bridges, significantly surpassing the $339 million that went through crypto mixers. This is attributed to the speed, liquidity, and lower regulatory scrutiny that bridges provide.
Centralized Exchanges Remain Main Cash-Out Points
Approximately 15% of hacked assets, amounting to $453 million, flowed into centralized exchanges, which are frequently used for further cash-out. This statistic highlights that despite the rise of decentralized finance, centralized platforms remain the primary destinations for hackers.
The Global Ledger report emphasizes that the speed at which hackers operate poses serious problems for monitoring and law enforcement systems. Attacks are becoming increasingly swift, and most stolen funds remain laundered before detection.
