Alephium Token Bridge Exploited for $815K Amid May Hack Spree

• Alephium’s Ethereum Token Bridge was exploited, enabling hackers to mint $815,000 in unauthorized tokens.
• The event deepened scrutiny of cross-chain DeFi protocols following multiple bridge hacks in May.

On May 31, 2026, Cryptopolitan reported that Alephium’s Ethereum Token Bridge suffered an exploit resulting in the theft of around $815,000. Attackers minted 13.76 million wrapped ALPH tokens using forged transactions, exploiting an offchain backend vulnerability within the bridge’s system. Security firm Blockaid initially reported a compromise of three out of four guardian keys, but Alephium’s team later confirmed that no keys were breached. Instead, specific backend triggers allowed attackers to forge cryptographic approvals and mint unauthorized tokens in under seven minutes.

The attacker drained not only ALPH but also USDT, USDC, WBTC, and WETH from both Ethereum and BNB Chain bridge contracts. Some stolen funds were routed through Tornado Cash, complicating efforts to track the transactions. In response, Alephium immediately disabled the affected bridge and issued warnings to liquidity providers on Uniswap and PancakeSwap, urging withdrawal of funds to prevent further losses. The team emphasized that continued trading or adding liquidity could let attackers profit further from the unauthorized supply.

Market reaction was immediate after the exploit. ALPH traded at $0.037 with a market capitalization above $5 million, while the total value locked across Alephium DeFi protocols dropped to roughly $756,000 according to DefiLlama. This exploit followed other significant bridge attacks in May, affecting Gravity Bridge and the Verus-Ethereum bridge. Total value lost from bridge-related hacks in 2026 reached over $326 million by the end of May, highlighting persistent risks in cross-chain infrastructure. Sentiment in DeFi and cross-chain protocol markets turned sharply negative, with trading activity declining, risk premiums rising, and calls intensifying for more rigorous audits and insurance measures.