- Chainlink says the cryptocurrency market has lost more than $15 billion to hackers, one-fifth of which was lost to bridge exploits, highlighting the need for its cross-chain solutions.
- Cross-chain interoperability only works if security is built in and away from centralized single points of failure, the network said.
The cryptocurrency market continues to be a prime target for cybercriminals, who continue to extract billions of dollars each year. Cross-chain bridges are among the most vulnerable, and Chainlink says its cross-chain infrastructure is the ultimate solution.
In 2025, hackers stole $2.87 billion in 147 hacks, according to a new report from TRM Labs. The number of hacks is the lowest in four years, but the average value per hack is $19.5 million, the highest in three years. February’s Bybit hack was the largest to date, with hackers stealing over $1.4 billion, as we reported.
According to data from DeFiLlama, hackers have stolen a total of $15.8 billion since 2016. DeFi is the most targeted ecosystem, with over $7 billion lost to these criminals. In recent years, cross-chain bridges have become a new goldmine for hackers, with $2.89 billion lost.
Data provided by: DeFiLlama.
This is where Chainlink can provide a solution, the network said, adding that “exploits are problems that are solved through sound architecture and a rigorous security-first approach.”
A cross-chain bridge is a tool that allows users to move crypto assets or data from one chain to another. Although there are dozens of bridges, Wormhole and LayerZero remain among the most popular.
As Chainlink points out, most bridges rely on one security layer with a small set of validators, one oracle network, and one relayer. This security is weak as validators can be hacked and private keys can be leaked, allowing hackers to gain access to users’ assets.
Defense in depth is the best approach, with “multiple decentralized networks working to protect a single cross-chain transaction,” Chainlink said.
2/ Cross-chain interoperability works best when security is built in.
This means moving from a centralized single network solution to a defense-in-depth design with multiple decentralized networks working to protect a single cross-chain transaction. pic.twitter.com/2HgMk2GtDZ
— Chainlink (@chainlink) February 2026 2
Chainlink’s CCIP sets an industry standard
According to Chainlink, Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) remains the industry standard for cross-chain messaging. CCIP is the only defense-in-depth solution that provides multiple decentralized oracle networks to verify cross-chain messages. If one oracle is compromised or sends incorrect data, other oracles can block it.
CCIP also provides configurable rate limiting and circuit breakers that can pause a transfer midway if something goes wrong. Other solutions address suspicious activity only after the damage has been done.
Image courtesy of Chainlink.
Chainlink’s infrastructure is already battle-tested and used to secure most popular exchanges, DeFi platforms, and crypto services. As we reported, this enabled the movement of more than $27 trillion in funds and relayed 19 billion messages across more than 2,500 projects.
Link trading location $9.58,lose 19.2% Last week’s market cap was $6.78 billion.
