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290 Million KelpDAO hack linked to North Korea triggers $13 billion DeFi crash

Evidence first: scan the strongest sources, then decide whether to go deeper.

Published 2026-04-22 12:29 UTCUpdated 2026-04-22 21:15 UTC
redditrsstelegram
cryptodefiexploitsbridgessecuritynorth_korea
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Evidence trail (top sources)
top sources (4 domains)domains are deduped. counts indicate coverage, not truth.
4 top sources shown
View all evidence
Overview

Coverage discusses speculative price scenarios around ~$13B; treat as TA chatter and see linked sources.

Entities
AaveSparkLendLayerZeroKelpDAOrsETHUSDT
Score total
2.36
Momentum 24h
10
Posts
10
Origins
4
Source types
3
Duplicate ratio
20%
Why now
  • The exploit occurred recently on April 18, triggering immediate and significant market reactions.
  • Ongoing laundering of stolen funds underscores continuing risks to cross-chain asset security.
  • Capital shifts within DeFi lending platforms reveal real-time market responses to security breaches.
Why it matters
  • Highlights persistent security vulnerabilities in crypto bridges, a critical DeFi infrastructure component.
  • Demonstrates how major exploits can rapidly destabilize DeFi liquidity and user confidence.
  • Shows evolving attacker tactics in laundering stolen crypto across multiple chains.
LLM analysis
Topic mix: lowPromo risk: lowSource quality: high
Recurring claims
  • KelpDAO's cross-chain bridge was exploited for around $290 million, attributed to North Korea's Lazarus Group.
  • The KelpDAO exploit caused a $13 billion drop in total value locked across DeFi protocols within 48 hours.
  • Aave deposits fell by $15 billion following the KelpDAO exploit as users withdrew funds amid uncertainty.
  • SparkLend saw over $1 billion in deposits since the KelpDAO exploit, reflecting capital flow shifts in DeFi lending.
How sources frame it
  • CoinDesk: neutral
All evidence
All evidence
Another DeFi protocol loses millions in hack days after KelpDAO breach
CryptoCurrency · coindesk.com · 2026-04-22 20:56 UTC
SparkLend Sees Over $1B in Deposits Since Kelp Exploit as Aave TVL Plunges
The Defiant · thedefiant.io · 2026-04-22 18:07 UTC
Aave deposits fall by $15B as Kelp exploit sparks flight from DeFi lender
Cointelegraph · cointelegraph.com · 2026-04-22 13:47 UTC
Show filters & breakdown
Posts loaded: 0Publishers: 4Origin domains: 4Duplicates: -
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Top publishers (this list)
  • Crypto.News (1)
  • CryptoCurrency (1)
  • The Defiant (1)
  • Cointelegraph (1)
Top origin domains (this list)
  • crypto.news (1)
  • coindesk.com (1)
  • thedefiant.io (1)
  • cointelegraph.com (1)