3 Ways Bybit’s $1.5 Billion Hack Will Impact the Staking Industry
The post 3 Ways Bybit’s $1.5 Billion Hack Will Impact the Staking Industry appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.
The $1.5 billion hack of Bybit — the largest in crypto history — has put the entire industry on high alert. The attack, reportedly carried out by North Korea’s Lazarus Group, resulted in the theft of over 401,000 ETH, reinforcing the reality that no exchange is safe from sophisticated cyber threats, and any platform can be at risk. Bybit’s response is critical. The positive takeaway is that Bybit has re-established a 1:1 asset backing for its clients and closed the “ether gap.” However, this temporary situation — where users shoulder the burden of centralized exchange (CEX) security failures could drive staking participants toward self-custody, keeping only the bare minimum on exchanges for transactions. While the full fallout of this breach is still unfolding, it may serve as a catalyst for both retail and institutional staking participants to rethink their strategies. Here’s how the hack could reshape staking. Potential Staking Losses The hack resulted in the theft of approximately 400,000 ETH, which is nearly $1 billion in losses at an average price of $2,600 per ETH. Beyond the immediate financial hit, the Ethereum staking yield — hovering around 4% annually — means a loss of roughly 16,000 ETH in yearly staking rewards. For perspective, if these stolen ETH were spread out across 100 stakers, each would have lost 160 ETH in rewards. This is a significant blow, particularly for retail investors who may lack the financial resilience to absorb such losses. Declining Staking Share on Centralized Exchanges The Bybit hack may be a turning point for the crypto industry, highlighting the risks of staking on centralized platforms. The trend is already visible in recent data: in the last six months, the amount of staked ETH on centralized exchanges has dropped from 8,597,984 ETH in September 2024 to 8,024,288 ETH in February…
Filed under: News - @ March 7, 2025 3:28 pm