AI-driven crypto hacks surge: CertiK flags 2026 cross-chain gaps

Crypto security firm CertiK says 2026 crypto hacks are accelerating, with total losses already exceeding $600 million. The firm links much of the damage to North Korea-linked activity and to weaknesses across both infrastructure and social engineering. In April, two major incidents drove losses: a $293 million Kelp DAO breach tied to LayerZero cross-chain messaging infrastructure failures, and an ~$280 million Drift Protocol hack. CertiK says attackers exploited “trust assumptions,” showing cross-chain security flaws are becoming a core driver of crypto hacks. CertiK investigator Natalie Newson warns AI is raising both attack speed and stealth. Threat actors increasingly use AI-powered phishing, deepfakes, supply-chain compromises, and automated exploit tooling. She also highlights “agentic AI,” which can scan smart contracts, draft exploit code, and execute attacks at machine speed. Zerion separately reported an April 15 North Korea-linked long-term social-engineering campaign that stole about $100,000 from hot wallets. For traders, this raises short-term risk around cross-chain and DeFi assets and can increase volatility after high-impact breach headlines. Watch LayerZero- and Drift-adjacent security alerts, exchange/bridge exposure, and any new incident disclosures tied to cross-chain messaging.