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Tracks company news, strategic changes, funding activities, and personnel adjustments across the blockchain and crypto industries, delivering a full-spectrum industry overview for our users.

An Open-Source AI Tool That No One Saw Predicted Kelp DAO's $292 Million Vulnerability 12 Days Ago

An open-source AI security tool flagged critical risks in Kelp DAO’s cross-chain architecture 12 days before a $292 million exploit on April 18, 2026—the largest DeFi incident of the year. The vulnerability was not in the smart contracts but in the configuration of LayerZero’s cross-chain bridge: a 1-of-1 Decentralized Verifier Network (DVN) setup allowed an attacker to forge cross-chain messages with a single compromised node. The tool, which performs AI-assisted architectural risk assessments using public data, identified several unremediated risks, including opaque DVN configuration, single-point-of-failure across 16 chains, unverified cross-chain governance controls, and similarities to historical bridge attacks like Ronin and Harmony. It also noted the absence of an insurance pool, which amplified losses as Aave and other protocols absorbed nearly $300M in bad debt. The attack unfolded over 46 minutes: the attacker minted 116,500 rsETH on Ethereum via a fraudulent message, used it as collateral to borrow WETH on lending platforms, and laundered funds through Tornado Cash. While an emergency pause prevented two subsequent attacks worth ~$200M, the damage was severe. The tool’s report, committed to GitHub on April 6, scored Kelp DAO a medium-risk 72/100—later acknowledged as too lenient. It failed to query on-chain DVN configurations or initiate private disclosure, highlighting gaps in current DeFi security approaches that focus on code audits but miss config-level and governance risks. The incident underscores the need for independent, AI-powered risk assessment tools that evaluate protocol architecture, not just code.

marsbit2h ago

An Open-Source AI Tool That No One Saw Predicted Kelp DAO's $292 Million Vulnerability 12 Days Ago

marsbit2h ago

Figma's Stock Drops Over 7%, Is Claude Design the One to End It All?

Figma's stock fell over 7% following Anthropic's announcement of Claude Design, an experimental AI-powered design tool. Driven by the Opus 4.7 model, Claude Design generates prototypes, slides, and visual content, directly challenging Figma and Canva. A key feature is its seamless handoff capability to Claude Code, enabling a closed loop from design to development. The tool automatically reads existing code and design files to create tailored design systems, though early users report high token usage and bugs. The release follows a series of strategic moves by Anthropic, including limited releases of advanced models and high-level regulatory meetings. With a rumored $800 billion valuation and potential IPO by October, Anthropic is shifting from selling AI models to building end-user products, positioning itself as a competitor rather than just a partner to its API users. While Claude Design is not yet a full replacement for professional tools, it threatens to redefine Figma’s user base by enabling rapid prototyping for non-designers and small teams.

marsbit2h ago

Figma's Stock Drops Over 7%, Is Claude Design the One to End It All?

marsbit2h ago

Financing Weekly | 15 Public Financing Events, Paxos Labs Completes $12 Million Financing Led by Blockchain Capital

Last week (April 13-19) saw 15 blockchain funding rounds totaling over $165 million. Key deals include Paxos Labs raising $12 million led by Blockchain Capital to build DeFi infrastructure for stablecoin issuance and lending. In AI+Web3, OpenGradient secured $9.5 million for its verifiable AI compute network. DeFi highlights include Brix's $5.5 million raise for emerging market asset tokenization and Votre's $3.75 million seed round for its on-chain crypto lending platform. In centralized finance, digital banking platform Slash closed a $100 million Series C. Prediction market platform Pumpcade raised $5 million, backed by Jump Crypto. Additionally, DePIN project SHARE completed a seed round led by Greenfield Capital.

marsbit2h ago

Financing Weekly | 15 Public Financing Events, Paxos Labs Completes $12 Million Financing Led by Blockchain Capital

marsbit2h ago

Ethereum on Tour University Roadshow Coming to Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Ethereum on Tour, a global educational initiative by the Ethereum Foundation’s Developer Growth Team and Academic Secretariat, is coming to Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The event, part of the Ethereum on Tour in China program executed by LXDAO and ETHPanda, aims to bring Ethereum’s courses, tools, and mentors to universities. Scheduled for Saturday, April 25, 2026, from 14:00 to 18:00, the event will be held at the Multi-functional Hall, Building 3, Minhang Campus of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. It will feature talks by prominent speakers including Shyam Sridhar from the Ethereum Foundation, who will discuss the Ethereum Cypherpunk Narrative, and faculty members from Shanghai Jiao Tong University covering topics such as AI and blockchain integration, recent advances in zero-knowledge proofs, and first principles of blockchain consensus. A hands-on oracle-themed workshop led by LXDAO developers will allow students to experience writing, deploying, and debugging Ethereum smart contracts. Attendees are encouraged to bring their laptops. Registration is available via the provided link. The event is supported by the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Blockchain Association and sponsored by Synbo Protocol, CDC Club, and Q某某.

marsbit3h ago

Ethereum on Tour University Roadshow Coming to Shanghai Jiao Tong University

marsbit3h ago

Netflix Founder Goes to His Most Feared Place

Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings is stepping down as chairman after nearly 30 years with the company, despite Netflix reporting its strongest-ever quarterly results with a 16% revenue increase and 83% surge in net profit. Hastings, who studied AI in the 1980s, has joined the board and donated $50 million to study AI’s impact on society. He now views AI as the biggest threat to Netflix, fearing that AI-generated content could eventually make free platforms like YouTube more appealing than paid services. While Netflix is using AI to improve production efficiency, Hastings is hedging his bets by engaging directly with AI governance, concerned that the rapid pace of AI development could disrupt the entire content industry.

marsbit5h ago

Netflix Founder Goes to His Most Feared Place

marsbit5h ago

Kelp DAO Suffers $292 Million rsETH Exploit – Details

Kelp DAO has suffered a major cross-chain exploit resulting in the loss of approximately 116,500 rsETH, valued at nearly $292 million. The attack targeted a vulnerability in the protocol's cross-chain bridge mechanism, specifically through LayerZero’s EndpointV2. On-chain investigator ZachXBT first identified the breach, noting that the attacker used Tornado Cash to conceal funding sources. In response, Kelp DAO immediately paused all rsETH contracts across mainnet and Layer-2 networks, preventing two additional attempts to drain another $100 million in assets. The protocol is collaborating with LayerZero and Unichain for a full investigation. The incident has impacted the broader DeFi ecosystem, leading Aave to freeze rsETH markets on its V3 and V4 deployments as a precaution, though its own contracts remain secure. The stolen rsETH represents around 18% of its circulating supply, significantly damaging liquidity and user confidence.

bitcoinist6h ago

Kelp DAO Suffers $292 Million rsETH Exploit – Details

bitcoinist6h ago

Hong Kong Crypto Scam Shock: Woman Loses Nearly $1 Million As AI Fraud Surges

Hong Kong Crypto Scam Shock: Woman Loses Nearly $1 Million As AI Fraud Surges A Hong Kong woman lost HK$7.7 million (approximately $982,000) after being lured into a fraudulent cryptocurrency investment platform. The scam began on Telegram, where a person posing as an investment expert promoted an AI-powered trading strategy with guaranteed returns. After making 17 transfers of USDT and Ethereum, the victim was unable to withdraw her funds. Hong Kong Police have reported a significant surge in such online investment fraud, with over 80 cases recorded in a single week, totaling losses of nearly HK$80 million. Authorities warn that scammers are increasingly using sophisticated tactics, including promises of "AI trading" and "guaranteed profits," to appear credible. This follows a similar incident last month where a retiree lost HK$6.6 million in a multi-stage scam. Police urge the public to be cautious of unsolicited investment advice and to verify platforms through the official CyberDefender service before transferring any money. They emphasize that no legitimate investment can guarantee returns. Investigations are ongoing.

bitcoinist15h ago

Hong Kong Crypto Scam Shock: Woman Loses Nearly $1 Million As AI Fraud Surges

bitcoinist15h ago

TechFlow Intelligence Bureau: KelpDAO Attack Causes Nearly $300 Million Loss, Triggers Aave Withdrawal Wave, RAVE Crashes 95% in a Single Day

China's AI firm DeepSeek is seeking external funding for the first time, with a valuation exceeding $10 billion, signaling intensifying competition and high R&D costs in the domestic large model sector. Meanwhile, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman faces scrutiny over potential conflicts of interest between his personal investments and OpenAI’s business ahead of a possible IPO. In Web3, KelpDAO suffered a $294 million attack due to forged cross-chain messages on LayerZero, leading to massive withdrawals from Aave and a resulting 18% drop in AAVE tokens. Separately, RAVE cryptocurrency collapsed by 95% in a single day amid suspected insider manipulation. Geopolitically, Iran is now demanding Bitcoin payments for transit through the Strait of Hormuz, reflecting both internal governmental discord and the growing adoption of crypto in tense regions. In semiconductors, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang showed rare public frustration over questions regarding chip sales to China, while the industry faces renewed price hikes. Tesla continues expanding its Robotaxi service, and a Chinese humanoid robot outperformed humans in a half-marathon, marking a milestone in robotics. Despite Middle East tensions and market uncertainties, U.S. stocks continue to rise, prompting discussions about market optimism versus risk blindness. Overall, today’s developments highlight systemic vulnerabilities—in tech, finance, and geopolitics—while also showcasing innovation in crises.

marsbit18h ago

TechFlow Intelligence Bureau: KelpDAO Attack Causes Nearly $300 Million Loss, Triggers Aave Withdrawal Wave, RAVE Crashes 95% in a Single Day

marsbit18h ago

DeFi Hacked Again for $292 Million, Is Even Aave No Longer Safe?

On April 19, a major DeFi security breach occurred, resulting in the loss of approximately $292 million. The attack targeted Kelp DAO’s rsETH bridge contract built on LayerZero, with 116,500 rsETH stolen. The attacker initiated the exploit using funds from Tornado Cash and manipulated the LayerZero EndpointV2 contract to transfer the assets. Kelp DAO confirmed the incident and temporarily paused rsETH contracts across multiple networks while collaborating with security experts for investigation. Initial analysis suggests the root cause was a compromised private key on the source chain, with the contract secured by only a 1/1 validator set, making it vulnerable to a single malicious transaction. The attacker used the stolen rsETH as collateral on lending platforms—including Aave, Compound, and Euler—to borrow more liquid assets like WETH, accumulating over $236 million in debt. Aave alone accounted for $196 million of this amount. In response, Aave froze its rsETH markets and stated it would explore covering potential bad debt through its Umbrella safety module, which holds around $50 million in WETH. This incident follows another large exploit earlier in April, where Drift Protocol on Solana lost $280 million. The repeated high-value attacks raise concerns about DeFi security, even affecting major protocols like Aave. Users are advised to exercise caution, diversify holdings, and limit exposure to on-chain protocols until more robust security measures are established.

marsbitYesterday 23:31

DeFi Hacked Again for $292 Million, Is Even Aave No Longer Safe?

marsbitYesterday 23:31

DeFi Hacked Again, Losing $292 Million: Is Even Aave No Longer Safe?

On April 19, DeFi suffered another major security breach, with liquid staking protocol Kelp DAO losing approximately 116,500 rsETH (worth around $292 million) due to an exploit in its LayerZero-based bridge contract. The attack originated from a compromised private key on the source chain, allowing the hacker to initiate unauthorized transfer via a single validator. The attacker used the stolen rsETH as collateral on lending platforms including Aave, Compound, and Euler to borrow more liquid assets like wETH, resulting in over $236 million in debt—$196 million from Aave alone. Aave quickly froze its rsETH markets and announced it would explore covering potential bad debt through its Umbrella safety module, which holds about $50 million in WETH. This incident follows a $280 million exploit on Solana’s Drift Protocol earlier in April, raising further concerns about DeFi security. Even established protocols like Aave are now indirectly exposed, prompting warnings for users to diversify holdings and limit exposure to smart contract risks. Investigations are ongoing.

Odaily星球日报Yesterday 23:24

DeFi Hacked Again, Losing $292 Million: Is Even Aave No Longer Safe?

Odaily星球日报Yesterday 23:24

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