Crypto Hacks Exceed $766M in September, Marking Worst Month of 2026
September 2026 proved to be the worst month for crypto security breaches this year, with two leading blockchain security firms, PeckShield and CertiK, estimating total losses exceeding $766 million. Major incidents included hacks of Bitget and Liquid Network, amounting to $388 million and $320 million in stolen funds, respectively. These figures represent a significant increase over August and rank among the largest crypto thefts of the year.
Massive Losses in September
PeckShield reported 55 major hacking incidents in September resulting in a total loss of $766.5 million, while CertiK recorded 97 incidents estimating losses of $768.4 million. These figures show a sharp rise compared to the previous month, indicating an escalating threat landscape in the crypto sector.
The most notable events included the Bitget hack involving $388 million and the Liquid Network breach totaling $320 million. According to reports, over $270 million of the stolen funds were later returned, partially mitigating the overall damage. These two hacks ranked among the largest crypto thefts of 2026.
Other Significant Hacks and Overall Outlook
In addition to the largest breaches, projects such as Safe Wallet, DCENT, and Duelbits suffered losses of $7.8 million, $6 million, and $5.9 million respectively, illustrating widespread security issues across crypto platforms.
CertiK’s data shows a total of 656 security incidents in 2026 so far, with cumulative losses amounting to $2.68 billion. This highlights the continued high risks in the crypto market and underscores the urgent need for enhanced security measures.
Why it matters
The data emphasize the critical state of security within the cryptocurrency industry. The sharp increase in hacks alongside major breaches signals to investors and developers the urgent need to strengthen asset protection. The partial returns of stolen funds highlight possibilities for fraud mitigation, yet the overall magnitude of losses remains significant. This trend could affect trust in crypto projects and drive the advancement of new security technologies.
Prepared from the source material with AI-assisted editing and checked against the supplied facts.
Open original source ↗