Boltz, a bitcoin exchange service, has stopped operating after a wave of attacks using artificial intelligence, platform representatives said, describing the situation as a fundamental paradigm shift for open-source cryptocurrency services.
The attackers used AI tools to quickly find vulnerabilities in the platform's code and automatically generate exploits, according to Boltz representatives. Developers acknowledged that the attacks were happening faster than the project's small team could detect and fix the flaws.
Boltz said its non-custodial architecture, built on an atomic swap mechanism, protected user funds throughout the attacks, and that client assets were never at risk. The company said it absorbed all financial losses linked to the hackers' actions itself.
Boltz said it will only relaunch the platform once it has put in place an autonomous defense system capable of detecting and blocking threats at a speed comparable to AI.
Binance analysts previously reported that the use of artificial intelligence had sharply cut the cost for hackers of building exploits against crypto projects. The exchange estimated that a hacking tool that once cost between $10 and $100 to develop now costs an average of $1.22.
