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BTC $96,420 +2.34% ETH $3,280 +1.82% SOL $185.40 -0.92% BNB $642.50 +0.45% XRP $2.18 +3.12% DOGE $0.082 -1.50% ADA $1.05 +0.80% AVAX $42.10 +1.15%
BTC $96,420 +2.34% ETH $3,280 +1.82% SOL $185.40 -0.92% BNB $642.50 +0.45% XRP $2.18 +3.12% DOGE $0.082 -1.50% ADA $1.05 +0.80% AVAX $42.10 +1.15%
04/14/2026

Polkadot Bridge Exploiter Mints $1.1 Billion in Tokens, Extracts Just $237,000

An attacker exploited the Hyperbridge protocol connecting Polkadot to Ethereum, minting 1 billion bridged DOT tokens worth $1.

Polkadot Bridge Exploiter Mints $1.1 Billion in Tokens, Extracts Just $237,000

What happened: An attacker exploited the Hyperbridge protocol connecting Polkadot to Ethereum, minting 1 billion bridged DOT tokens worth $1.1 billion on paper. However, liquidity constraints meant the hacker could only extract approximately $237,000 before market impact rendered further sales unprofitable.

Why it matters: This exploit highlights fundamental vulnerabilities in cross-chain bridge architecture and liquidity mechanisms. While the actual financial damage was limited, the ability to mint massive token quantities exposes systemic risks in DeFi infrastructure that could destabilize markets if exploited at scale.

Source: Decrypt