- Data shows May crypto losses hit $68.3M, the third month below $100 million.
- Major attacks included Verus $11.5M, Thorchain $10.1M, TrustedVolumes $6.6M, and more.
- Only $9.4M recovered so far, showing weak fund recovery in crypto security breaches.
On May 31, 2026, CertiK Alert reported $68.3 million in total losses from crypto exploits, including $2.6 million from phishing, making it the third month in 2026 with under $100 million in losses after a severe April.
Total Crypto Losses Drop to $68.3M in May
According to CertiK’s official May 2026 stats report, the crypto industry recorded approximately $68.3 million in total losses from exploits and attacks, representing a noticeable cooldown after April’s unusually high losses of roughly $650 million.
Meanwhile, the largest incidents included an $11.5 million exploit on the Verus–Ethereum bridge, a $10.1 million loss on Thorchain, $6.5 million from TrustedVolumes, $5.9 million tied to victim address 0x2cFED, and $5.4 million from the Gravity Bridge.
Code vulnerabilities drove about $45 million in losses and remained the dominant cause in the category breakdown. However, this figure fell significantly from April’s peak, suggesting that improved audits and protocol upgrades may be starting to reduce the most severe smart contract flaws. Wallet compromises contributed an additional $13.8 million in losses, while only $2.6M of the total losses was attributed to phishing.
In CertiK’s type breakdown, Bridge protocols were hit hardest, recording approximately $28.6 million in losses, followed by DeFi projects with around $23.9 million.
What May’s Lower Losses Mean for Crypto Security
Beyond immediate recoveries, the relatively low amount of funds returned, about $9.4 million out of $68.3 million in losses, highlights the ongoing challenges of recovering stolen crypto assets once exploits occur. As a result, industry participants may place greater emphasis on prevention rather than recovery.
Looking ahead, the crypto industry could see stronger emphasis on multisig wallets, real-time monitoring, hardware security, and insurance. Regulatory clarity and institutional standards may push for higher security baselines. While losses may moderate if current trends hold, the arms race with AI-enhanced attacks means projects and users must remain extremely vigilant.
Related: North Korea Stole 76% of the April 2026 Crypto Hacks in Just Two Attacks
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