Share this article
DeFi Protocol Balancer Says Web Front End Is ‘Under Attack’
On-chain data appears to show the attacker has stolen over $200,000 from users.
Updated Sep 20, 2023, 2:33 p.m. Published Sep 20, 2023, 8:31 a.m.
Make us preferred on Google
Decentralized trading protocol Balancer said its web front end is suffering from an exploit and urged users not to interact with the website.
The balancer frontend is under an attack. The issue is currently under investigation. Please do NOT interact with the balancer UI until further notice!
— Balancer (@Balancer) September 19, 2023
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
Tweets from Balancer and a warning from the Metamask wallet suggest the Balancer URL, or web address, has suffered a redirect attack and users are being sent to a malicious page rather than the authentic site. Cybercriminals carry our redirect attacks by exploiting users' trust of a website, inserting a redirection to a malicious page in the website's code or in a phishing email.
Hacks, exploits and scams across the crypto sector have caused losses of over $1 billion by early September this year, according to blockchain security firm Certik. Crypto traders lost $303 million in July alone, the year's worst month for losses from such attacks.
The attacker appears to be part of phishing group "AngelDrainer" according to crypto tracking platform MistTrack. They hacked the website using this method and induced users to approve transfers of funds.
A wallet address identified by internet sleuth ZachXBT appears to show that over $200,000 in digital assets may have been stolen. According to Nansen.ai data, the wallet’s current balance is just over $100,000, with most of the assets being stETH and DAI.
On-chain data suggests that the user behind the wallet has been moving some of the stolen proceeds to Aave.
MistTrack said that the attacker may have links to Russia based on "relevant intelligence" it has collected, without providing details.
The attack comes roughly a month after Balancer warned the public about an unrelated vulnerability in the protocol's pools and urged users to withdraw their assets.
Balancer has a total value locked of about $700 million, according to DefiLlama data, making it the fourth-largest decentralized exchange.
UPDATE (Sept. 20, 14:32 UTC): Adds additional detail on the attack and further background on Balancer and exploits across crypto this year.
More For You
KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.
What to know:
- KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
- This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
- Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
- Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
- Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.
More For You
Millions in crypto wealth at risk of vanishing when holders die. Here's how to protect them
Without proper planning, inherited crypto can easily be lost to delays, missing keys or fiduciaries unfamiliar with the asset class, experts warn.
What to know:
- Crypto holders can take a few steps to prevent their assets from disappearing forever when they pass away.
- Without proper planning, inherited crypto can easily be lost to probate delays, missing private keys, or fiduciaries unfamiliar with the asset class.
- Even with improved regulatory clarity, crypto adds complexity beyond what many in the advisory space are accustomed to.
Top Stories
