Ethereum powers the future of finance — but it’s also a hacker’s playground.
From 2016 to 2025, cybercriminals have stolen over 5 million ETH, worth tens of billions of dollars. These attacks targeted DeFi protocols, bridges, exchanges, and even Ethereum smart contracts.
And here’s the shocking part: Hundreds of thousands of ETH are still sitting in hacker wallets today, untouched, traceable, and monitored.
In this article, we dive into:
Let’s get into it.
Over the past decade, Ethereum has become one of the most hacked blockchains. The numbers are staggering:
👉 Total Ethereum stolen: Over 5 million ETH
Let’s break down the biggest active wallets still holding stolen ETH today.
Many of these Ethereum bridge hacks and exchange exploits are linked to the Lazarus Group, a North Korean cybercriminal team. Authorities have confirmed their involvement in:
The Lazarus Group is known for laundering stolen ETH through:
Sometimes, but rarely.
✅ The DAO — Forked to recover✅ Wormhole — White-hat clawback✅ Euler Finance — Hacker returned funds
❌ Most other stolen ETH has been swapped, mixed, or lost forever.
Over 5 million ETH has been stolen in various hacks since 2015.
Yes. Most are publicly visible on block explorers like Etherscan and flagged as suspicious.
The DAO (3.6M ETH), Bybit (401K ETH), and FTX Drainer (228K ETH) top the list.
Rarely. Some funds were recovered (like Wormhole or Euler), but most are laundered quickly.
Many attacks are attributed to the Lazarus Group, a North Korea-backed cybercrime team.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice or investment recommendations. Always do your own research (DYOR) before investing in any cryptocurrency. The content shared here reflects personal analysis and should not be considered as a basis for making investment decisions.