The 10 Most Dangerous Crypto Hacks

Determining the "most dangerous" crypto hacks can be subjective, as the impact can vary depending on factors like financial losses, user data exposure, and long-term consequences for the crypto ecosystem. However, based on a combination of financial losses, security breaches, and wider implications, here are 10 notable crypto hacks that have made headlines:
1. Mt. Gox (2014): This remains the largest crypto heist to date, with approximately 850,000 bitcoins stolen. This hack significantly impacted bitcoin's price and shook investor confidence in early crypto exchanges.
2. Wormhole Bridge (2022): Hackers exploited a vulnerability in the Wormhole Bridge, a cross-chain bridge facilitating transfers between blockchains, and stole $325 million worth of tokens. This highlighted the security risks involved in cross-chain bridges.
3. Nomad Bridge (2023): A similar exploit on the Nomad Bridge in October 2023 resulted in the loss of over $190 million in various tokens. This further raised concerns about the security of cross-chain bridges.
4. FTX (2022): This major crypto exchange was compromised in November 2022, with hackers allegedly stealing $372 million in various cryptocurrencies. This event contributed to the downfall of FTX and the broader crypto market crash.
5. Poly Network (2021): Hackers stole over $600 million in various tokens from the Poly Network DeFi platform but surprisingly returned the funds a few days later. This incident highlighted the vulnerabilities of DeFi protocols but also the potential for community collaboration in resolving such issues.
6. Ronin Bridge (2022): Hackers exploited a vulnerability in the Ronin Bridge, used by the popular Axie Infinity game, and stole $540 million in various tokens. This severely impacted the Axie Infinity ecosystem and raised concerns about the security of blockchain-based games.
7. Bitfinex (2016): Around 120,000 bitcoins were stolen from the Bitfinex exchange, leading to significant losses for users and impacting market confidence. While some funds were later recovered, this event served as a wake-up call for exchange security.
8. Coinrail (2017): Hackers stole over $50 million worth of various cryptocurrencies from the Coinrail exchange, highlighting the vulnerability of smaller exchanges. This led to increased scrutiny and regulations for crypto exchanges.
9. KuCoin (2020): Hackers stole over $250 million in various cryptocurrencies from the KuCoin exchange, showcasing the ongoing threat of exchange security breaches.
10. Crypto.com (2022): Hackers gained access to 483 user accounts on the Crypto.com exchange and stole over $30 million in various cryptocurrencies. This incident emphasized the importance of individual user security practices.