The DeFi ecosystem is flashing red once again. Within a single day, three cross-chain bridges—AFX Trade, B2 Network, and VerusCoin—were hit by a series of hacks, resulting in a total loss of $35.6 million. The attackers appear to be exploiting different vulnerabilities to siphon funds and cover their tracks.

This wave of hacks, combined with the recent news of BitMEX closing its operations, has once again brought the security and reliability of crypto infrastructure to the forefront. Experts suggest that as bridge security—the primary channel for asset movement—remains shaky, the shift toward more secure, regulated, institutional-grade settlement hubs may accelerate.

As cross-chain bridges continue to be identified as the most vulnerable security links in the DeFi ecosystem, extra caution is advised. It remains to be seen whether the industry will shift toward stricter multi-sig security standards or centralized interoperability solutions.

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