Bridged Polkadot exploit mints 1B tokens on Ethereum

Polkadot’s bridged DOT token on Ethereum has reportedly been exploited, with an attacker minting 1 billion tokens and dumping them in a single transaction.

Onchain data from Lookonchain shows the attacker converted the minted tokens into 108.2 ETH, worth roughly $237,000 at the time.

CertiK said the exploit targeted the Hyperbridge gateway contract, where a forged message allowed the attacker to gain admin control and mint tokens.

The breach affected only the bridged version of DOT on Ethereum, not the native Polkadot relay chain or its original token.

The incident highlights ongoing vulnerabilities in cross-chain infrastructure, particularly in bridge contracts that manage wrapped assets across networks.

Neither Polkadot nor Hyperbridge had issued an official response at the time of reporting, with the situation still developing.

At the time of reporting, Polkadot price was $1.19.