Chainalysis Hexagate Enhances DeFi Security Using AI, Real-Time Monitoring on Avalanche and Ethereum

Chainalysis has expanded its Web3 security solution, Hexagate, to the Avalanche blockchain while significantly improving its artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities to detect and mitigate risks in decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols. Hexagate now offers real-time threat monitoring for smart contracts, tokens, and protocols, using pattern recognition to flag potential exploits before they occur. In early 2025, Ethereum saw an unprecedented surge in new smart contract deployments, approaching 6.2 million, which has increased both market opportunities and security vulnerabilities. During Q1 2025, Hexagate identified over $402 million in assets linked to malicious DeFi activities and flagged a 60% month-to-month rise in such risks. Although only 0.2% of Ethereum smart contract events were categorized as risky, these events—such as ’Initialized’, ’RoleGranted’, and ’RemovedOwner’—are often precursors to major hacks. Hexagate also detected the creation of about 18,000 phishing tokens impacting over 50 million wallets per month. Integration with Avalanche allows developers to access free on-chain threat detection through multiple channels, including Slack and Telegram, with professional incident response support. High-profile threats, such as North Korea-linked exploits, continue to pose risks, with over $1 billion in stolen crypto recorded for 2025. The expanded deployment of AI-powered, real-time security tools indicates a shift toward proactive DeFi risk management, potentially strengthening institutional and trader confidence. However, traders should remain alert as cyber threats grow more sophisticated.