10 Biggest Cryptocurrency Hacks Ever and How to Recover Stolen Crypto With BitReclaim

As the cryptocurrency market exploded into a multi-trillion-dollar industry over the past decade, it also became a lucrative target for hackers and scammers worldwide. Despite the blockchain’s reputation for transparency and immutability, billions of dollars worth of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other digital assets have been stolen in high-profile hacks.

From sophisticated nation-state operations to simple phishing scams, the history of cryptocurrency is full of painful lessons — and valuable insights. In this article, we’ll dive into the 10 biggest crypto hacks of all time, what they teach us about the risks of digital assets, and how you can protect yourself or even recover stolen funds with the help of experts like BitReclaim.

The 10 Biggest Cryptocurrency Hacks in History

1️⃣ ByBit Heist: $1.5 Billion (2025)

In the largest hack to date, North Korea’s Lazarus Group stole 400,000 ETH (then worth $1.5 billion) from ByBit’s cold wallet systems. This shocking breach demonstrated that even “offline” wallets can be compromised through software flaws.

2️⃣ Ronin Network Breach: $615 Million (2022)

Ronin, the blockchain behind Axie Infinity, lost $615 million due to poor validator security. Lazarus Group struck again, proving DeFi’s biggest weakness is often human oversight.

3️⃣ Poly Network Exploit: $610 Million (2021)

Poly Network was drained of $610 million via a smart contract vulnerability — but in a surprising twist, the hacker returned most of the funds and even helped patch the exploit.

4️⃣ Binance BNB Bridge Exploit: $570 Million (2022)

A flaw in Binance’s bridge code allowed an attacker to mint $570 million worth of BNB tokens. Binance froze much of the stolen amount, but the incident raised questions about bridge security.

5️⃣ Coincheck Breach: $534 Million (2018)

In one of the earliest large-scale hacks, Coincheck lost over 500 million NEM tokens due to weak hot wallet security and delayed detection.

6️⃣ FTX Hack During Bankruptcy: $477 Million (2022)

On the same day FTX filed for bankruptcy, hackers stole nearly half a billion dollars. Later traced to a U.S.-based SIM swap ring, it showed how insider knowledge and social engineering remain potent threats.

7️⃣ Mt. Gox Collapse: $460 Million (2014)

Mt. Gox, once the world’s largest Bitcoin exchange, lost 850,000 BTC — worth $460M at the time, and many billions today — because of years-long security failures and mismanagement.

8️⃣ Wormhole Bridge Hack: $320 Million (2022)

Wormhole, a popular cross-chain bridge, suffered a $320 million hack due to smart contract flaws. Jump Crypto later reimbursed users to maintain confidence.

9️⃣ DMM Bitcoin Hack: $305 Million (2024)

Japanese exchange DMM Bitcoin fell victim to a targeted social engineering campaign by North Korea-linked actors, losing over $300 million worth of Bitcoin.

🔟 KuCoin Breach: $275 Million (2020)

KuCoin lost hundreds of millions when hackers compromised its hot wallet keys. Remarkably, KuCoin managed to recover much of the stolen crypto through cooperation with other exchanges.

What These Hacks Teach Us

📉 Centralized Platforms Are High-Risk

Even if blockchains are secure, centralized exchanges remain soft targets — they hold vast sums in hot wallets and are vulnerable to employee mistakes, phishing, and insider threats.

🔑 Your Keys = Your Money

If you don’t control your private keys, you don’t truly own your crypto. Leaving funds on exchanges is essentially trusting someone else to safeguard your money.

🧊 Cold Storage Isn’t Foolproof

Hardware wallets and cold storage minimize risk but require discipline — losing your recovery phrase or mishandling devices can cost you everything.

🕵️‍♂️ Theft Is Often Invisible

Unlike a bank robbery, a crypto theft can happen quietly and irreversibly. Many victims don’t realize their wallets have been drained until it’s too late.

10 Biggest Cryptocurrency Hacks Ever and How to Recover Stolen Crypto With BitReclaim

The Most Common Crypto Hack Techniques

💥 Bridge Attacks: Exploiting vulnerabilities in cross-chain bridges to steal funds in transit.
💥 Wallet Hacks: Phishing, malware, or fake apps tricking users into handing over private keys.
💥 Exchange Exploits: Targeting centralized platforms through software flaws or social engineering.

How to Protect Yourself From Crypto Theft

✅ Use Cold Wallets: Store long-term holdings offline.
✅ Enable 2FA: Adds a vital layer of protection against account takeovers.
✅ Don’t Leave Funds on Exchanges: Only keep what you need for active trading.
✅ Beware Phishing: Always verify URLs, emails, and apps.
✅ Protect Private Keys: Keep them offline and never share them.

How to Recover Stolen Cryptocurrency With BitReclaim

Even with the best precautions, mistakes happen — and hackers are relentless. If your crypto has already been stolen or scammed, don’t assume it’s gone forever.

BitReclaim specializes in recovering stolen cryptocurrency and digital assets. Using advanced blockchain forensics, wallet tracing, and legal processes, BitReclaim has helped victims of exchange hacks, phishing scams, and even insider thefts recover millions of dollars in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and stablecoins.

Their experts track stolen assets as they move across wallets, mixers, and exchanges, providing actionable intelligence and negotiating asset freezes with platforms worldwide.

Why Choose BitReclaim?

🔷 Industry-leading blockchain forensics experts.
🔷 Proven success recovering stolen funds.
🔷 Discreet, ethical, and effective.
🔷 Full support through the entire recovery process.

📧 Contact BitReclaim now: support@bitreclaim.com
🌐 Visit: https://bitreclaim.com

Final Thoughts

The cryptocurrency revolution has unlocked unprecedented opportunities — and unprecedented risks. While the biggest hacks in history remind us just how vulnerable even the largest players can be, they also teach us how to secure our own assets and what to do if the worst happens.

Whether you’re a retail investor or an institution, staying vigilant, keeping your keys safe, and working with trusted recovery experts like BitReclaim can make all the difference.

Don’t let hackers write your story — take control of your digital future today.