Losses from crypto hacks, scams, and exploits reached $2.47 billion in the first half of 2025, according to blockchain security company CertiK.
But the good news is the number of hacks went down in the second quarter of the year. Over $800 million was lost in 144 incidents during Q2. This represents 52% less money lost compared to the first quarter, with 59 fewer hacking incidents.
Altogether, the $2.47 billion lost in the first half of 2025 is about 3% higher than the $2.4 billion lost in all of 2024.
However, since more than $187 million was recovered so far this year, CertiK says the real loss is closer to $2.2 billion.
The secret behind the $2.47 billion Scam
Even though the losses went up, CertiK said this doesn’t mean crypto security is getting worse. Most of the money stolen came from just two big attacks, one on the crypto exchange Bybit and one on Cetus Protocol. Together, these two hacks caused $1.78 billion in losses.
Hackers broke into Bybit’s cold wallet system and stole $1.5 billion worth of Ether on February 21. Then on May 22, Cetus Protocol, the main decentralized exchange on the Sui blockchain, was hacked for $225 million.
“Without those events, total losses in 2025 would stand at $690 million, indicating that the broader trend may not be as severe as raw figures imply,” CertiK.
Phishing Attacks Lead in Number of Incidents
Phishing has caused the most security problems so far this year. There have been 132 phishing incidents, with $410 million stolen.
Phishing attacks have increased a lot in the first half of 2025, says CertiK.
Ethereum was a common target, with 70 hacks, scams, and exploits. That’s fewer than the 98 attacks seen in the first quarter.
In total, wallet hacks caused the biggest losses. Over $1.7 billion was stolen in just 34 incidents in the first half of 2025, according to CertiK’s report.
Even though crypto losses look very high this year, most of the stolen money came from just two big attacks. Without those, the total loss would be much smaller. Phishing and wallet hacks continue to be major problems. The good news is that the number of hacks is going down, and some stolen funds have already been recovered. This shows that while crypto is still risky, things may not be as bad as they first seem.