# Bridge Related Articles

HTX News Center provides the latest articles and in-depth analysis on "Bridge", covering market trends, project updates, tech developments, and regulatory policies in the crypto industry.

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.

marsbit04/20 03:23

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

marsbit04/20 03:23

The Code Was Fine, But It Was Still Hacked: What Is the 'DVN Configuration Vulnerability' Behind the Biggest Hack of 2026?

Title: Code Was Secure, Yet $293M Stolen: The 2026 DVN Configuration Breach Explained On April 18, 2026, Kelp DAO’s restaking protocol was exploited, losing 116,500 rsETH (worth $293M at the time) due to a configuration flaw—not a smart contract vulnerability. The attacker used a forged cross-chain message to drain funds via LayerZero’s bridge, then dispersed the stolen rsETH across Aave V3, Compound V3, and Euler to borrow real assets, ultimately escaping with $236M in WETH. The root cause was a critical misconfiguration in Kelp’s LayerZero V2 setup: the protocol used a 1-of-1 Decentralized Verifier Network (DVN) threshold, meaning only one node approval was needed to validate cross-chain messages. The attacker compromised that single node, allowing unauthorized minting of rsETH on Ethereum. This configuration choice—permitted by LayerZero but highly risky—left zero fault tolerance. In contrast, protocols like ApeChain using multi-node validation (e.g., 2-of-3 or 5-of-9) remained secure. This incident highlights a blind spot in DeFi security audits: tools like Slither and Mythril scan code for logic flaws but ignore configuration parameters. The 2022 Nomad hack ($190M loss) also stemmed from a config error, bringing total losses from such issues to ~$482M—rivaling private key breaches. The Kelp exploit underscores the need for standardized config audits and higher baseline security in cross-chain designs.

marsbit04/19 23:56

The Code Was Fine, But It Was Still Hacked: What Is the 'DVN Configuration Vulnerability' Behind the Biggest Hack of 2026?

marsbit04/19 23:56

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.

bitcoinist04/19 22:33

Kelp DAO Suffers $292 Million rsETH Exploit – Details

bitcoinist04/19 22:33

Crypto Shockwave: Circle Sued As $280 Million Drift Hack Unravels

A class action lawsuit has been filed in a Massachusetts federal court against Circle Internet Financial, alleging the stablecoin issuer was negligent and aided in the theft of $280 million from the Drift Protocol. The plaintiffs, representing over 100 investors, argue Circle had the means to stop the stolen USDC from being moved across blockchains using its Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol but failed to act. They point to Circle's prior action of freezing wallets in a separate civil case as proof it could have intervened. The April 1st hack is attributed to North Korean state-backed actors who moved the funds to Ethereum and laundered them through Tornado Cash. The case raises significant questions about the responsibility of centralized entities in the decentralized crypto ecosystem.

bitcoinist04/17 18:31

Crypto Shockwave: Circle Sued As $280 Million Drift Hack Unravels

bitcoinist04/17 18:31

1 Billion DOT Minted Out of Thin Air, Yet Hacker Only Made $230,000

On April 13, a security breach occurred involving the Polkadot bridge on the Ethereum network, where an attacker exploited a replay vulnerability in the MMR proof mechanism of Hyperbridge’s ISMP protocol. By reusing a historically valid proof and pairing it with a malicious request, the attacker bypassed verification and gained admin and minting rights over the wrapped DOT contract on Ethereum. They then minted 1 billion wrapped DOT tokens—2,805 times the existing supply—and attempted to liquidate them. However, due to extremely low liquidity in the wrapped DOT market, the massive sell-off crashed the token’s price by 99.98%, from $1.22 to approximately $0.000128. The attacker ultimately exchanged the tokens for only about 108.2 ETH (worth roughly $237,000), with gas costs as low as $0.74. The same exploit had been used previously in attacks on MANTA and CERE tokens, resulting in a total loss of around $242,000. Polkadot confirmed that the incident only affected DOT bridged via Hyperbridge to Ethereum and did not impact the native Polkadot network or DOT on other bridges. Exchanges including Upbit and Bithumb temporarily suspended DOT deposits and withdrawals as a precaution. The event highlights ongoing vulnerabilities in cross-chain infrastructure and the critical role of liquidity in limiting actual damages during large-scale exploits. It also reflects a broader trend of increasing DeFi security incidents in early 2026.

marsbit04/13 10:10

1 Billion DOT Minted Out of Thin Air, Yet Hacker Only Made $230,000

marsbit04/13 10:10

Caldera Launches Metalayer Token Launcher

Caldera has officially launched the Metalayer Token Launcher, the first no-code solution for cross-chain token deployment. This tool enables projects to quickly create and deploy MetaTokens without the need for coding or smart contract development, significantly lowering the technical barriers to launching on-chain economic systems and issuing assets. The platform simplifies the token issuance process: users only need to set the token name, total supply, and a Treasury wallet address to create and deploy a token within minutes. In its initial phase, Metalayer Token Launcher supports both Arbitrum and Ethereum, with near real-time cross-chain bridging between the two. Each token created will have its own dedicated bridge page, making cross-chain transfers more efficient and cost-effective. Metalayer’s core mission is to productize and modularize on-chain economic infrastructure, allowing projects to launch token systems and economic models more quickly and affordably. The platform plans to expand support to more blockchain networks in the future, further enhancing cross-chain asset issuance and circulation. With this launch, Caldera continues to strengthen the Metalayer ecosystem, making token creation, cross-chain movement, and economic system setup simpler and more efficient.

marsbit04/08 14:09

Caldera Launches Metalayer Token Launcher

marsbit04/08 14:09

Caldera Launches Metalayer Token Launcher

Caldera has officially launched the Metalayer Token Launcher, the first no-code solution for cross-chain token deployment. This tool enables projects to quickly create and deploy MetaTokens without the need to write smart contracts or perform complex technical configurations. Users can set the token name, total supply, and Treasury wallet address to complete token creation and deployment within minutes, significantly lowering the technical barriers to launching on-chain economic systems. In its initial phase, the Metalayer Token Launcher will support both Arbitrum and Ethereum, featuring near real-time cross-chain bridging between the two networks. Each token created through Metalayer will have its own dedicated bridge page, simplifying cross-chain asset transfers and reducing operational complexity and cost. The core goal of Metalayer is to productize and modularize on-chain economic infrastructure, allowing projects to launch their token systems and economic models more efficiently and at a lower cost. Future updates will expand support to additional blockchain networks, broadening the scope of cross-chain asset issuance and circulation. Caldera continues to enhance the Metalayer ecosystem, making token creation, cross-chain transfers, and on-chain economy setup simpler and more flexible.

Odaily星球日报04/08 14:00

Caldera Launches Metalayer Token Launcher

Odaily星球日报04/08 14:00

Why Did the Star Web3 Project Across Protocol Choose to Abandon the DAO?

Across Protocol, a prominent Web3 project, is proposing to transition from a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) structure to a private company. Co-founder Hart Lambur explained on the Talking Tokens podcast that the current DAO model has become a bottleneck for growth, particularly as institutional and enterprise demand increases. The protocol, which has facilitated over $35 billion in cross-chain transactions, believes a more traditional corporate structure will allow it to operate more efficiently. The proposal offers two options for ACX token holders: convert their tokens into equity in the new private entity, AcrossCo., or redeem them for USDC at a one-month average market price. Lambur acknowledged limitations due to U.S. securities laws, which restrict the number of shareholders in an S-corporation, necessitating consolidation for larger token holders. This move reflects a broader industry trend of recognizing the operational challenges of DAOs. Lambur cited similar sentiments from Aave's founder and Uniswap's recent proposal to create a legal entity, highlighting the friction and inefficiencies of decentralized governance structures. The proposal will enter a two-week discussion period before a community Snapshot vote.

marsbit03/15 03:08

Why Did the Star Web3 Project Across Protocol Choose to Abandon the DAO?

marsbit03/15 03:08

Across Protocol Proposes Transition from DAO to U.S. Corporation, Token Holders Can Exchange for Equity

Cross-chain bridge protocol Across Protocol has proposed transitioning from a DAO structure to a U.S. C-Corporation named AcrossCo. ACX token holders are offered two options: a 1:1 swap for equity in the new company or a token buyback at a 25% premium to the 30-day average price in USDC. The team cited the current DAO model as a bottleneck for institutional partnerships, which require enforceable contracts and a clear legal entity. The proposal, which requires a simple majority vote, follows $51 million in funding, including a round led by Paradigm. The announcement caused ACX's price to surge approximately 70%. The underlying protocol will continue to operate permissionlessly.

marsbit03/12 03:32

Across Protocol Proposes Transition from DAO to U.S. Corporation, Token Holders Can Exchange for Equity

marsbit03/12 03:32

‘Major new asset primitive’ – Chainlink bridges cbBTC to Monad

Chainlink has integrated support for Coinbase Wrapped Bitcoin (cbBTC), enabling users on the Monad blockchain to bridge assets seamlessly with Base, an Ethereum Layer-2. With over $5 billion in circulation, cbBTC introduces significant liquidity to Monad’s growing DeFi ecosystem. The integration is powered by Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP), which supports 77 chains and over 200 tokens, and has processed nearly $15 billion in cumulative transfer volume. Despite a recent decline in activity due to broader market conditions, CCIP has generated substantial fees, benefiting LINK token holders through its token accrual program. However, LINK’s price has been range-bound between $8 and $9.5, with muted institutional demand and limited ETF inflows hindering a strong rebound.

ambcrypto03/03 23:02

‘Major new asset primitive’ – Chainlink bridges cbBTC to Monad

ambcrypto03/03 23:02

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