Crypto Hack Losses Drop to 11-Month Low in February 2026

February 2026 marks the calmest month for crypto security in nearly a year

Hackers stole a combined $26.5 million from crypto projects in February 2026, making it the lowest monthly loss figure since March 2025, according to blockchain security firm PeckShield. The total represents a dramatic 98.2% year-over-year decline from February 2025, when losses hit $1.5 billion — largely driven by the $1.4 billion Bybit exploit.

«In Feb. 2026, the crypto space saw 15 main hacks totaling $26.5M, representing a 98.2% YoY decrease compared to Feb. 2025 ($1.5B, including the $1.4B #Bybit drain) and a notable 69.2% MoM decrease from Jan. 2026 ($86.01M in losses).» — PeckShieldAlert (@PeckShieldAlert), original post

PeckShield tracked 15 significant incidents over the month. Compared to January 2026's $86 million in losses, February's figure was 69.2% lower.

Why this matters

The sharp decline in hack-related losses signals either improving protocol security or a temporary lull in attacker activity. PeckShield attributes the slowdown to broader market volatility. Bitcoin's correction below $70,000 in early February apparently shifted market participants' focus from protocol exploitation toward liquidity management and risk mitigation. For DeFi projects and their users, such a reprieve offers a window to conduct audits and strengthen defenses.

The biggest attacks of February

The bulk of stolen funds came from two major incidents on February 21:

• YieldBlox — attackers targeted a DAO-managed lending pool and drained $10 million;
• IoTeX — hackers compromised the private keys of the decentralized protocol, stealing $8.9 million in assets.

The top five also included:

• CrossCurve — $4.9 million;
• Foom Cash — $2.2 million;
• Moonwell — $1.8 million.

CertiK offers a higher estimate

Rival security firm CertiK painted a somewhat different picture. Their data puts total losses from hacks and fraudulent schemes in February at $37.7 million, with approximately $35.7 million attributed specifically to exploits.

«Combining all the incidents in February we've confirmed ~$35.7M lost to exploits with ~$8.5M of the total attributed to phishing. This figure is the lowest monthly loss since March 2025.» — CertiK Alert (@CertiKAlert), original post

CertiK identified the primary attack vectors as follows:

• Wallet compromises — $16.6 million;
• Token price manipulation — $11.4 million;
• Phishing — $8.5 million;
• Code vulnerabilities — $5 million;
• Exit scams — $2.1 million.

The bigger picture: $2.9 billion stolen in 2025

February's relative calm stands in stark contrast to the scale of hacking activity in the prior year. TRM Labs estimated that attackers stole a total of $2.9 billion in cryptocurrency throughout 2025. The defining incident of that period — the $1.4 billion Bybit breach — remains the largest single theft in crypto history. Against that backdrop, February's $26.5 million appears modest, but the respite may be temporary: hackers historically ramp up activity during bullish markets and periods of rising TVL in DeFi protocols.