What happened?
The AI agent project AIXBT was hacked, resulting in the theft of 55.5 Ether (ETH), worth over $100,000.
AIXBT is an agent built on the Virtuals Protocol and is a “market commentator” account that has attracted investor attention.
Currently, the market capitalization of tokens related to AI agents has reached $4.2 billion, and investors and developers in the cryptocurrency market continue to pay close attention to the application of AI in crypto trading.
AIXBT Hacked, $100,000 in Ether Stolen
The well-known AI agent project AIXBT was recently hacked, resulting in the theft of over $100,000 worth of Ether (ETH). The AIXBT account manager rxbt stated on X that although the hacker successfully gained control of the “dashboard” and transferred funds, the core system of the AI agent remained unaffected.
AIXBT is an agent built on the Virtuals Protocol, launched at the end of last year, and is one of the most closely watched “market commentator” accounts in the cryptocurrency market. Users holding AIXBT tokens can access market sentiment and data analysis provided by the project team.
According to reports, the hacker employed an attack method known as “Command Injection.” The attacker found a vulnerability to inject malicious commands into the system, causing the victim’s system to execute unauthorized operations. In the case of AIXBT, the hacker used this attack method to control the AI agent’s dashboard and successfully guided AIXBT to transfer approximately 55.5 Ether (ETH) by sending two malicious “response commands.”
According to an announcement from AIXBT, the team has immediately migrated the server, replaced the keys, and suspended access to the dashboard, while reporting the hacker’s related addresses to cryptocurrency exchanges. However, this hacking incident has raised concerns in the market about the security of AI agents.
Investigation Report
At 2AM UTC, a hacker accessed a secure dashboard for @aixbt_agent autonomous system, queuing 2 malicious replies that led to 55 ETH taken from a simulacrum wallet. Those funds don’t affect core systems or development, no impact on us.
Reiterating that this…— rxbt (@0rxbt) March 18, 2025
Is Security Key to the Development of AI Technology in the Cryptocurrency Market?
Experts point out that if AI robots are not properly tested and reinforced for security, they will become targets for hackers, potentially leading to significant financial losses. This incident has prompted the market to reflect on whether AI agents can provide adequate security in the cryptocurrency industry, particularly in risk management and capital protection.
Nevertheless, the use of AI agents in the cryptocurrency market remains a trend. According to data analysis platform CoinGecko, the market capitalization of tokens related to AI agents has reached $4.2 billion. Investors and developers in the cryptocurrency market continue to pay close attention to the application of AI in crypto trading.
Typically, these AI agents utilize AI-assisted technical analysis and market sentiment analysis to provide users with trading strategies and recommendations.
Spencer Farrar, a partner at investment firm Theory Ventures, believes that the application of AI in the cryptocurrency field is still in its early stages. However, as technology develops, it is likely to bring more practical features and allow users to participate in a wider range of investment opportunities in the future.
As the application of AI technology deepens in the cryptocurrency market, ensuring the security of these AI agents will remain a focal point of ongoing concern for both the industry and investors.
Source: Cointelegraph, The Block