# KelpDAOBridgeHacked

#KelpDAOBridgeHacked
The decentralized finance ecosystem witnessed one of its most severe security failures to date. Kelp DAO, a prominent liquidity restaking protocol, suffered a devastating exploit targeting its rsETH cross-chain bridge. Within minutes, approximately 116,500 rsETH—valued between $292 million and $293 million—was drained, accounting for nearly 18% of the token’s total circulating supply. This incident now stands as the largest DeFi hack recorded in 2026.
The breach originated within Kelp DAO’s bridge infrastructure, which relied on LayerZero’s cross-chain messaging system. S

#KelpDAOBridgeHacked
Gate Square | 4/20 Hot Topic: Kelp DAO Bridge Incident Causing Market Turmoil and Renewed DeFi Security Concerns Across Crypto Ecosystem
On April 20, the cryptocurrency market experienced a major shock event linked to a reported exploit affecting Kelp DAO’s bridge infrastructure. The incident quickly spread across DeFi discussions and market channels as one of the most significant security events of the period, raising concerns not only about the direct financial impact but also about the broader structural risks within cross-chain systems and restaking ecosystems.
Accord

#KelpDAOBridgeHacked
2026’s Largest DeFi Exploit – Kelp DAO’s rsETH Bridge Drained of $292 Million
On April 18, 2026, at approximately 17:35 UTC, the liquidity restaking protocol Kelp DAO suffered a major security breach in its LayerZero-powered cross-chain bridge. The attacker successfully drained 116,500 rsETH (restaked Ether), valued at roughly $292–293 million. This amount represented approximately 18% of rsETH’s total circulating supply and stands as the largest DeFi hack recorded in 2026 so far.
How the Attack Unfolded
Kelp DAO’s rsETH bridge relied on LayerZero’s cross-chain messagin

#KelpDAOBridgeHacked
KelpDAO’s bridge exploit is not just another crypto hack headline. It is a serious reminder that in DeFi, the biggest risk is often not the main product users trust every day, but the infrastructure operating underneath it.
On April 18, an attacker drained 116,500 rsETH from KelpDAO’s bridge setup, worth around $290–$293 million at the time. That represented nearly 18% of rsETH’s circulating supply. Several reports have described it as the biggest DeFi exploit of 2026 so far.
What makes this incident especially important is that the core restaking model itself does not ap

#KelpDAOBridgeHacked
Major DeFi Shock Event Reshapes Market Risk Landscape (2026)
The decentralized finance ecosystem has been shaken by one of the most significant security breaches of the year involving the liquidity restaking protocol Kelp DAO. The incident centers around its rsETH cross-chain bridge infrastructure, which was compromised in a sophisticated exploit that drained approximately $292 million worth of assets, sending shockwaves across the broader crypto market and reviving concerns about cross-chain security design.
The attack targeted the protocol’s rsETH system, a restaked Eth

#KelpDAOBridgeHacked 🚨⚠️ | Security Shock in DeFi
The market just received another reminder — in crypto, security is everything.
KelpDAO’s bridge exploit has triggered fresh concerns across the DeFi ecosystem, putting pressure on user confidence and highlighting the ongoing risks within cross-chain infrastructure.
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📉 What Happened
A vulnerability in the bridge mechanism was exploited, allowing attackers to drain funds by manipulating cross-chain validation logic.
👉 This is not just a bug — this is a system-level weakness
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💥 Immediate Market Reaction
• Users rushing to withdraw funds

#KelpDAOBridgeHacked
The incident behind #KelpDAOBridgeHacked marks one of the most significant DeFi security events of the year, reinforcing a recurring structural vulnerability within the ecosystem—cross-chain bridge design.
A large-scale exploit targeting KelpDAO’s infrastructure resulted in the loss of approximately $290M+ worth of rsETH, making it one of the largest DeFi hacks in 2026. This was not a traditional smart contract failure, but rather a breakdown in how cross-chain communication was validated.
At its core, the attack exploited trust assumptions.
The attacker was able to send

#KelpDAOBridgeHacked
#KelpDAOBridgeHacked
The DeFi space has just been hit by one of the biggest shocks of 2026. KelpDAO’s cross-chain bridge exploit is not just another hack—it’s a systemic event that exposed deep vulnerabilities in how modern decentralized finance is structured.
At the center of the incident, attackers drained approximately $292–$294 million worth of rsETH, a liquid restaking token, making it the largest DeFi exploit of the year so far.
What makes this attack particularly alarming is not just the size, but the mechanism behind it. The exploit targeted a cross-chain bridge

Post-mortem : How $272 Million rsETH Hack Happened 
​On April 18, 2026, the interconnected nature of decentralized finance transformed an external vulnerability into a catastrophic systemic crisis for Aave. A sophisticated attack on Kelp DAO's cross-chain infrastructure resulted in the theft of over $292 million in liquid restaking tokens. By weaponizing Aave's aggressive risk parameters, the attackers extracted $272 million in WETH, leaving ordinary depositors facing permanent losses and exposing the fatal flaws of hyper-composable DeFi architecture.
​❍ The LayerZero Bridge Breach
​The crisis