The crypto market does not only suffer from its volatility, its red candlesticks and its rude awakenings. He also endures technical attacks, colder, finer, almost carried out with a scalpel. In May, the blockchain bled again, but differently: less massive bleeding, more repeated incisions in the protocols.
In brief
- The crypto sector is suffering sixty confirmed incidents despite an overall drop in significant monthly financial losses.
- Technical flaws now dominate far ahead of phishing, classic compromises and social manipulations in the modern blockchain ecosystem.
- Verus and Thorchain together account for almost a third of the crypto losses recorded during the month analyzed globally.
- CertiK observes a gradual increase in attacks despite several partial recoveries recently carried out by certain platforms concerned.
Crypto: less carnage, but a burst of highly targeted attacks
As of May 2026, the crypto industry lost approximately $68.3 million, according to CertiK. The figure remains significantly lower than the 547.3 million soared in April. However, the month is not calming. CertiK lists 60 confirmed incidents, the highest monthly total for 2026.
The trend deserves attention. January had 48 incidents, February 50, March 55, April 58, then May 60. Losses fell, but attacks increased. The crypto sector is therefore not only experiencing large isolated shocks. He goes through a succession of more frequent, more technical strikes, more difficult to neutralize.
Phishing is declining sharply, with around $2.6 million lost. This is its second lowest level of the year. Now, hackers are no longer just looking for the distracted user. They target code, bridges, validators and deep areas of DeFi.
Smart contracts and bridges: the open wounds of the market
Code vulnerabilities account for $45.13 million in losses, or nearly 66% of the monthly total. This data changes the diagnosis. The main problem is no longer just stolen passwords or fake links. It is housed in the very architecture of the protocols.
Bridges also remain very exposed, with $28.62 million in losses. Verus comes first, with 11.52 million sold. Thorchain follows, with 10.12 million. Then come TrustedVolumes, Gravity Bridge and other smaller, but numerous, incidents. The five biggest attacks total almost 40 million.
The good news remains limited. Approximately $9.38 million was recovered during the month. This represents almost 13.7% of gross losses. The crypto market is therefore making progress in repairs, but the operation remains cumbersome. Each poorly sutured line of code can still reopen the wound.
The key figures of the crypto operating room
- May totals 60 confirmed incidents in the blockchain industry;
- Crypto losses reach approximately $68.3 million ;
- Verus suffered the heaviest attack, with 11.52 million;
- Code flaws account for 66% of losses;
- The funds recovered reach approximately 9.38 million.
However, crypto crimes do not always remain in the shadow of protocols. In the United States, authorities have just indicted a Texan for fraud estimated at $12.3 million. The message becomes clear: pirates operate quickly, but justice also learns to close its claws.
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