🚨 **BREAKING: $292M Kelp DAO Bridge Exploit Rocks DeFi – TVL Crashes $132B in 48 Hours!** 🚨
Just in – April 21, 2026 update:
Attackers exploited a critical vulnerability in **Kelp DAO’s LayerZero bridge**, making off with **116,500 rsETH** valued at a massive **$292 million**.
They didn’t stop there. The stolen assets were immediately used as collateral on **Aave** to borrow **$191 million in real-world assets** – a sophisticated move that’s now sending shockwaves across the entire ecosystem.
### Systemic Contagion in Full Effect
DeFi’s Total Value Locked (TVL) has **plunged $132 billion in just 48 hours**, dropping from **$995B to $863B**.
**Aave** alone saw **$84.5 billion in outflows** as users rushed to exit amid fears of bad debt exposure.
### Attribution Dispute Escalates
- **LayerZero** is pointing the finger at **North Korea’s Lazarus Group**, claiming the attack originated from a compromised RPC node.
- Meanwhile, **Kelp DAO** and **Aave** are locked in heated discussions over responsibility for the **$195M–$230M** in potential bad debt.
This isn’t just another hack — it’s exposing deep cracks in cross-chain bridge security and collateral risk management.
DeFi holders: Are you monitoring your positions? Protocols: Time to double down on audits and transparency?
Drop your thoughts below 👇
Stay safe out there.