Invest ideasNews
25 Apr 2026, 19:00
THORChain is being flagged as a key route for hackers to move stolen funds
Meet the chain where hackers cash out; that’s how analysts are summing up THORChain. Fresh data again tied the protocol has dropped the debate into the light. In a post, the analyst pointed out that multiple high-profile exploits have routed funds through THORChain. Amid all the funds flowing out, the protocol continued to generate fees. The list of exploited funds being driven out from THORChain includes the FTX exploiter ($124 million), Bybit hacker ($1.2 billion+), and Balancer exploiter ($120 million). It also holds the name of the recent KelpDAO attack ($175 million in just 36 hours). THORChain bags millions in fees Data shows that THORChain reportedly generated around $910,000 in fees just from the KelpDAO incident . This exceeded its previous month’s total of $709,000. Meanwhile, the protocol has maintained a stance of neutrality, even as hundreds of millions in illicit funds pass through its rails. According to data from Arkham Intelligence, the attacker split the stolen funds across three wallets. They were holding around 25,000 ETH (approx $57–59 million each). Only one of those wallets has actively begun laundering. Its balance dropped from 25,000 ETH to around 3,800 ETH. A good portion of those funds has already been bridged into Bitcoin using THORChain. On-chain data shows that nearly 99% of the funds in that wallet have moved. This adds to a surge in protocol usage. Swap volume on THORChain reportedly hit $540 million in 24 hours. It helped the protocol generate about $660,000 in fees during that period. Lookonchain reported that the KelpDAO hacker had swapped all 75,701 ETH (approx worth $175 million) through THORChain. Mantle has proposed providing 30,000 ETH (approx worth $70 million) to Aave as a loan. While Lido announces a one-time donation of 2,500 stETH (approx worth $5.8 million) The approach from attackers looks pretty straightforward. THORChain allows cross-chain swaps without intermediaries or know-your-customer checks. This allows stolen assets to move quickly between ecosystems. It often happens from Ethereum to Bitcoin. This is where tracing becomes more fragmented due to the UTXO model. Ether price has dropped by almost 3% over the last 24 hours. ETH is trading at $2,310 at the press time. The laundering activity picked up pace after intervention from the Arbitrum Security Council. It froze 30,766 ETH (approx $71 million) linked to the exploit. This move managed to restrict access to a portion of the funds, which required governance votes for any recovery. THORChain defends neutrality The freeze may have also pushed the attacker’s strategy . The exploiter began moving funds more aggressively soon after it. This highlights an ongoing tension in DeFi between intervention and decentralization. Protocol-level actions can limit damage, but they may also push attackers toward faster and more complex laundering routes. This pattern is not new, as attackers often allow wallets to remain dormant for months before reactivating them. The delay in moving funds allows it to outlast initial tracking efforts from investigators THORChain, in a post, stated that it was modeled after Bitcoin. This lets it be permissionless and censorship-resistant. It mentioned that there’s no single person or entity in control of the protocol, and there’s no admin key. It added that there’s no 2-of-3 multisig and there are 95 nodes spread globally that control the network. THORChain was modelled after Bitcoin, to be permissionless and censorship resistant. There’s no single person or entity in control of the protocol. There’s no admin key. There’s no 2-of-3 multisig. Currently, there’s 95 nodes spread globally that control the network. For the… pic.twitter.com/Za2Obrh9dO — THORChain (@THORChain) April 21, 2026 The protocol stated that Bitcoin is neutral because the code is neutral, and the nodes enforce it. Similarly, THORChain is neutral because the code is neutral, and the nodes enforce it. The protocol has been in headlines due to its large-scale exploits and fund links. This dates back to the February 2025 hack of Bybit. Attackers linked to the Lazarus Group stole roughly $1.5 billion in assets. This includes over 400,000 ETH. A major portion of those funds was laundered through THORChain. It is estimated that over 70% of the stolen assets flowed through the protocol. It led the protocol’s daily volumes to exceed $700 million at that time. The massive laundering activity generated over $3 million to $5.5 million in transaction fees for the protocol. The attackers were identified as the North Korean Lazarus Group by the FBI. The crypto card with no spending limits. Get 3% cashback and instant mobile payments. Claim your Ether.fi card.
25 Apr 2026, 19:00
Crypto is built for AI agents, not humans, says Alchemy's CEO
Alchemy CEO Nikil Viswanathan argues the global financial system was designed for humans, but the next wave of commerce will be driven by AI agents that operate natively in crypto.
25 Apr 2026, 18:53
Trump defends crypto legislation at private event featuring boxer Mike Tyson, Tether CEO
President Donald Trump, at a Mar-a-Lago gathering of investors in his self-branded memecoin, said crypto is mainstream and banks should back off the industry's bill.
25 Apr 2026, 18:40
XRP Ledger Surges Past Ethereum in 30-Day Capital Flows, Takes the Lead
XRP Ledger Tops Capital Inflows, Surpassing Ethereum as Institutional Demand Accelerates New on-chain data is drawing renewed attention to the XRP Ledger after it reportedly surpassed several major blockchain networks in net capital inflows over the past 30 days. Data from RWA.xyz shows the XRP Ledger leading all major blockchains (excluding stablecoins) with about $1.1 billion in net inflows. Ethereum trailed at roughly $879 million, followed by Stellar with $643 million and BNB Chain at around $539 million over the same period. The data also shows a clear split in capital flows across the market. While some networks saw strong inflows, others faced notable outflows, including Solana (-$111M), Base (-$101M), Mantle (-$25M), and Arbitrum (-$19M). Well, the contrast is reigniting debate on where liquidity is truly consolidating and which ecosystems are sustaining real demand. Capital Rotation and Institutional Adoption Put XRP Ledger at the Center of Blockchain Finance Shift Supporters of the XRP Ledger view this trend as a sign of growing institutional interest and broader ecosystem utility. Rather than short-lived speculative activity, analysts argue the inflows reflect sustained on-chain demand driven by real use cases such as payments, tokenization, and settlement. Ripple’s push into cross-border payments remains central to this narrative. As legacy systems like SWIFT continue to face scrutiny over settlement delays and “last-mile” inefficiencies, the XRP Ledger is being positioned as a faster, infrastructure-grade alternative designed for near-instant global value transfer. Supporters argue the goal is straightforward: reduce friction in international payments and streamline end-to-end settlement for financial institutions. Momentum is further reinforced by the rise of real-world asset tokenization. Recent figures indicate roughly $333 million in U.S. Treasury debt has already been tokenized on the XRP Ledger, an early but notable signal of blockchain adoption in traditionally conservative financial markets. It also reflects a broader institutional shift toward distributed ledger systems for issuing and settling assets more efficiently. In conclusion, strengthening inflows, expanding institutional experimentation, and early RWA adoption are shaping the XRP Ledger’s growing relevance in digital finance. While competition among major blockchains remains intense, recent capital trends suggest a clear rotation underway, with the XRP ecosystem increasingly drawing attention at the center of it.
25 Apr 2026, 18:37
Mythos AI exposes $1 billion risk in DeFi via DOT
🚨 Mythos AI revealed a 1 billion dollar risk in $DOT via an Ethereum-based exploit. AI is rapidly changing DeFi security by targeting infrastructure, not just code. 🤖 Key point: AI can both uncover hidden threats and accelerate attack speed, demanding continuous adaptation from DeFi platforms. Continue Reading: Mythos AI exposes $1 billion risk in DeFi via DOT The post Mythos AI exposes $1 billion risk in DeFi via DOT appeared first on COINTURK NEWS .
25 Apr 2026, 18:30
XRP Whale Outflow Dominance Climbs To 2024 Levels —Price To Follow?
The XRP price seems to have encountered significant resistance to its growth over the week. As of Wednesday, April 22, the cryptocurrency tried but failed to close above $1.4540, and subsequent movements did not even reach the resistance region. While the XRP price continues to struggle, recent on-chain analysis suggests momentum might be building right beneath the surface. Hence, in the presence of the right conditions, the growing momentum could be the much-needed fuel for XRP’s breakout from its present stalemate. Whale Outflows On Binance Rise To 94.4% In a recent Quicktake post on CryptoQuant, analyst Amr Taha highlighted a growing divergence between XRP retail and whale outflows on Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume. The relevant indicator here is the Binance Whale Vs Retail Outflow Dominance metric. Related Reading: Dogecoin Keeps Getting Capped At This Parallel Channel Level, Analyst Says According to the analyst, Binance XRP outflows are now being driven more by its larger holders than by retail investors. In their CryptoQuant post, Taha pointed out that the whale outflow dominance has climbed as high as 94.4%, while retailers, on the other hand, have a mere 5.5% influence on XRP’s flows out of Binance. The crypto expert further noted that when readings from the Outflow Dominance metric return to levels similar to the current readings, it signals that larger-sized transfers are taking over. Interestingly, October 2024 was one such moment, followed by a similar reading in June 2025. Taha further noted that when this happens, the XRP price has a good chance of bouncing higher in the near term. An example can be seen after the rise in Whale Outflow Dominance seen in October, where XRP surged by over 525%; meanwhile, a 71% bullish move after a similar pattern in June 2025 also supports the notion. XRP Displays Triangle Pattern On Hourly Timeframe Meanwhile, analyst Ali Martinez noted in a recent post on X that a symmetrical technical structure is developing on XRP’s 1-hour chart, which could have a greater impact in the near term. The symmetrical triangle pattern typically signals indecision and consolidation, as price progressively forms lower highs and higher lows. In the chart shared by the analyst, XRP has made contact with the upper and lower boundaries of the triangle and seems to be heading towards another boundary once again. What’s special about this pattern is what comes after a clear breakout; a surge to the upside of the triangle could signal a bullish shift, while a breakdown could signal bearish intent. According to Martinez, the current triangle pattern could precede a 10% move on a breakout. Hence, market participants should proceed with caution or only after clear directional confirmation. As of this writing, XRP is valued at $1.44, with CoinGecko data reflecting a 0.7% growth over the past day. Related Reading: XRP Spot Buyers Are Getting Stronger While Futures Traders Are Selling – Learn What That $700M Split Means Featured image from iStock, chart from TradingView
