Main takeaways:
-
More than $2.4 billion was stolen in the first half of 2025, already exceeding 2024’s total.
-
Everyday traps like phishing, toxic approvals, and fake “support” cause more damage than exotic exploits.
-
Strong two-factor authentication, accurate signing, separation of hot and cold wallets, and clean hardware significantly reduce risks.
-
Having a recovery plan—with reversal tools, support contacts, and reporting portals—can turn a mistake into a setback rather than a disaster.
Cryptocurrency hacks are still on the rise. In the first half of 2025 alone, security companies recorded the theft of more than $2.4 billion across more than 300 incidents, already exceeding the total thefts in 2024.
One major hack is the theft of Bybit Attributed to North Korean groupsThe numbers are skewed higher, but they shouldn’t get all the attention.
Most daily losses still come from simple traps: Phishing linksAnd malicious wallet approvals, SIM swaps, and fake “support” accounts.
The good news: You don’t have to be a cybersecurity expert to improve your safety. A few basic habits (that you can set up in minutes) can significantly reduce your risk.
Here are seven of the things that matter most in 2025.
1. Ditch SMS: Use phishing-resistant two-factor authentication everywhere
If you’re still relying on SMS codes to secure your accounts, you’re leaving yourself exposed.
SIM swap attacks It remains one of the most common ways criminals drain wallets, and prosecutors continue to seize millions associated with it.
The safest step is to resist phishing Two-factor authentication (2FA) (Think hardware security keys or platform passkeys).
Start by securing your most important logins: email, exchanges, and your password manager.
we Cybersecurity agencies The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency emphasizes this as it prohibits phishing scams and “stressful” scams that bypass weaker forms of multi-factor authentication (MFA).
Pair them with long, unique passphrases (length trumps complexity), and store backup codes offline and playback Exchanges And turn on permitted withdrawal lists so funds can only move to addresses you control.
Did you know? Phishing attacks targeting cryptocurrency users rose 40% in the first half of 2025, with fake exchange sites being the main vector.
2. Signature cleanliness: Stop toxic drains and approvals
Most people don’t lose money to sophisticated exploits; They lost it because of one bad signing.
Wallet drainers trick you into giving unlimited permissions Or agree to fraudulent transactions. Once you sign, they can repeatedly drain your money without asking again.
The best defense is to be slow: read each signing request carefully, especially when you see “setApprovalForAll”, “Permit/Permit2”, or unlimited “Approval”.
If you’re trying something new Decentralized Applications (DApps)use a backup wallet to mint or risky interactions and keep your main assets in a separate vault. Revoke unused approvals periodically with tools like Revoc.cash, which is simple and worth the small gas cost.
Researchers are already tracking a sharp rise in thefts caused by hacking, especially on mobile. Good signing habits break this chain before it starts.
3. Hot vs. Cold: Divide your spending by your savings
Think of wallets the same way you think of bank accounts.
-
A Hot wallet It’s your checking account – good for spending and interacting with apps.
-
A Devices Or the multisig wallet is your safe — designed for secure, long-term storage.
Keeping your private keys offline virtually prevents exposure to malware and malicious websites.
For long-term savings, write your seed phrase on paper or steel: never store it on your phone, computer or cloud service.
Test your recovery setup with a small recovery process before transferring important funds. If you are confident in managing additional security, Consider adding a BIP-39 passphraseBut remember, losing it means losing access forever.
For larger balances or shared vaults, multisig wallets can require signatures from two or three separate devices before any transaction is approved, making theft or unauthorized access much more difficult.
Did you know? In 2024, private key hacks accounted for 43.8% of all stolen cryptocurrency funds.
4. Device and browser cleanliness
Your device setup is just as important as your wallet.
Updates patch vulnerabilities that attackers rely on, so enable automatic updates for your operating system, browser, and wallet apps, and reboot when needed.
Keep browser extensions to a minimum – many of them Notable thefts have resulted from hijacked or malicious add-ons. Using a browser or profile dedicated solely to cryptocurrencies helps prevent cookies, sessions, and logins from leaking into your daily browsing.
Hardware wallet users should disable blind signing by default: it hides transaction details and exposes you to unnecessary risk if you are scammed.
Whenever possible, handle sensitive actions on a clean desktop rather than a phone full of apps. Aim for a minimal upgrade setup with as few potential attack surfaces as possible.
5. Check before sending: addresses, strings and contracts
The easiest way to lose cryptocurrencies is to send them to the wrong place. Always double-check the recipient’s address and network before clicking “Send.”
For first-time transfers, make a small test payment (the extra fee is worth the peace of mind). When dealing with symbols or Non-fungible tokens (NFTs)Make sure you get the right contract by checking the project’s official website, and reputable data aggregators like CoinGecko and Explorers like Etherscan.
Look for verified code or ownership badges before interacting with any contract. Never type your wallet address manually – always copy and paste it, underlining the first and last letter to avoid wallet switching. Avoid copying addresses directly from your transaction history, as dust attacks or spoofed entries can trick you into reusing a compromised address.
Be very careful with “airdrop” claim websites, especially those that request unusual approvals or cross-chain actions. If you feel something is wrong, pause and check the link through the official project channels. If you have already granted suspicious consents, revoke them immediately before continuing.
6. Defense of social engineering: romance, “tasks,” impersonation
The biggest crypto scams are rarely based on code, they’re based on people.
Romance and Slaughtering pigs The schemes build fake relationships and use fake trading dashboards to show fabricated profits, then pressure victims to deposit more or pay bogus “release fees.”
Job scams often start with friendly messages on WhatsApp or Telegram, offering small tasks and small payments before turning into deposit schemes. Impersonators posing as “support staff” may try to share the screen with you or trick you into revealing your seed phrase.
The news is always the same: real support will never ask for your private keys, send you to a similar site, or ask for payment through Bitcoin ATMs or gift cards. The moment you spot these red flags, disconnect immediately.
Did you know? The number of deposits in pig slaughter scams rose approximately 210% year-on-year in 2024, although the average amount per deposit fell.
7. Prepare to recover: Making mistakes is survivable
Even the most careful people make mistakes. The difference between disaster and recovery is preparedness.
Keep a short “break the glass” offline card containing your key recovery resources: verified exchange support links, a reliable cancellation tool and official reporting portals like the Federal Trade Commission and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
If something goes wrong, include it Transaction hashAnd wallet addresses, amounts, timestamps and screenshots in your report. Investigators often link multiple cases through these shared details.
You may not recover the money right away, but having a plan in place turns the total loss into a manageable error.
If the worst happens: what to do next
If you click on a malicious link or send money by mistake, act quickly. Move any remaining assets to a new wallet that you fully control, then revoke the old permissions using reliable tools like Etherscan’s Token Approval Checker or Revoc.cash.
Change your passwords, switch to phishing-resistant two-factor authentication, log out of all other sessions and check your email settings for forwarding or filtering rules you didn’t create.
Then escalate: Contact your exchange to flag destination addresses and report to IC3 or your local regulator. Include transaction hashes, wallet addresses, timestamps and screenshots; These details help investigators connect the cases, even if it takes time to recover.
The broader lesson is simple: seven habits (strong MFA, accurate signing, separating hot and cold wallets, maintain clean devices, verify before sending, stay alert for social engineering and have a recovery plan) prevent most everyday cryptocurrency threats.
Start small: upgrade your 2FA and emphasize signature authenticity today, then build from there. A little preparation now can avoid catastrophic losses later in 2025.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risks, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
