Balancer Faces Suspected Exploit; $70M in Ether Tokens Transferred

A decentralized exchange (DEX) and automated market maker (AMM), Balancer, is under investigation for a potential security breach after a significant transfer of digital assets to a newly created wallet. Onchain data shows approximately $70.9 million worth of liquid staked Ether (ETH) tokens were transferred in three transactions to a fresh cryptocurrency wallet, according to Etherscan logs. The transfers involved 6,850 StakeWise Staked ETH (OSETH), 6,590 Wrapped Ether (WETH), and 4,260 Lido wstETH (wSTETH), as reported by crypto intelligence platform Nansen. While Balancer has not confirmed the breach, the inflow of funds into the newly created wallet suggests a security lapse likely triggered these transfers. Blockchain security firm Cyvers estimated that up to $84 million in suspicious transactions across multiple chains were involved, according to their Monday X post. This follows a series of cybersecurity incidents for Balancer, including a recent phishing attack and a stalecoin exploit earlier this year. The attacks highlight the ongoing challenges faced by decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms to maintain robust security practices.