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Okay, here is the rundown of the digital currency thefts that occurred in January 2025, according to Immunefi:
January of 2025 experienced an increase in digital currency crime, with 19 different occurrences accumulating a total deficit of $73.9 million.
Centralized finance (CeFi) platforms were the primary objective, accounting for a stunning 93.5% of the total pilfered. Decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols were struck more frequently (18 times), but the deficits were much tinier, only comprising 6.5% of the total.
BNB Chain was the hackers’ favored arena, enduring the most assaults (10 in total) and accounting for half of all deficits. Ethereum was next, with 6 occurrences and 25% of the deficits. The significant variance between CeFi and DeFi deficits is mostly attributable to one enormous strike on Phemex, where hackers absconded with almost $70 million from their hot wallets, transferring funds in ETH, Solana, XRP, and BTC. Arbitrum and Base each had a couple of assaults, while Optimism was struck once.
Some analysts are pointing accusingly at North Korea, noting that the pilfered stablecoins were rapidly exchanged for Ethereum to avert being blacklisted. Interestingly, there were no reported deficits from scams – hacking was the sole cause of theft in January.
While this is a ninefold increase compared to December, it’s still down 44.6% from January 2024, when a staggering $133.4 million was pilfered. The Singapore-based exchange Phemex endured the biggest strike, forfeiting $69.1 million, which comprised the bulk of the total deficits.
So, in short: January 2025 was a dismal month for digital currency security, with a lot of funds vanishing into hackers’ coffers. UPS Shares Plummet, Approaching a 5-Year Trough
