Suspected Polkadot Bridge Hack Mints 1 Billion DOT; Upbit Halts Deposits and Withdrawals

Polkadot connects Ethereum and Asset Hub through Hyperbridge, allowing DOT to move across blockchains. If bridge permissions are compromised, an attacker can create fraudulent representations of the asset, threatening the token's price and exchange risk controls. The incident does not mean that DOT was issued directly on Polkadot's native chain.

As of July 19, 2026, an attacker was suspected of forging permissions to mint 1 billion bridged DOT on Ethereum, with a nominal value of about $1 billion. The attacker made an actual profit of only about $237,000. South Korean exchange Upbit has suspended DOT deposits and withdrawals, while officials have yet to clarify the extent of the impact on Asset Hub.