Fewer attacks but higher-impact exploits signal a shift in crypto threat dynamics
The cryptocurrency industry is seeing a notable shift in its security landscape. While the number of crypto hack incidents declined sharply in 2025, total losses remained substantial as attackers pivoted toward high-impact, sophisticated supply chain attacks, according to recent blockchain security data.
Total crypto-related losses reached $3.3 billion in 2025, yet the overall number of security incidents dropped by more than 160 cases year-over-year. This decline suggests that protocol-level defenses and smart contract security have improved, making basic code exploits less effective for attackers.
However, the reduction in frequency was offset by larger, more coordinated attacks. Supply chain breaches emerged as the most damaging threat, accounting for $1.45 billion in losses across just two incidents. These attacks targeted infrastructure and trusted intermediaries rather than on-chain code, demonstrating a clear evolution in attacker strategy.
The average loss per hack rose to $5.3 million, up 66% from the prior year, reflecting the outsized impact of major breaches. At the same time, the median loss per incident fell to just over $100,000, reinforcing the idea that most smaller exploits are being mitigated more effectively.
Security analysts note that attackers are increasingly well-funded and highly coordinated, focusing on system dependencies, access controls, and third-party integrations rather than protocol bugs.
Beyond infrastructure attacks, phishing scams accounted for more than $700 million in losses, making them the second-largest threat. Among these, “pig butchering” romance scams continue to drain user funds through prolonged psychological manipulation, often over weeks or months.
As crypto security matures, the threat landscape is shifting from frequent low-level exploits to rare but devastating supply chain and social engineering attacks, forcing the industry to rethink how it protects both infrastructure and users.
Disclaimer
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Cryptocurrency trading involves risk and may result in financial loss.