HIGHLIGHTS

• A hacker involved in the 2022 attack on the Wormhole bridge received an Airdrop from the project in April 2024.
• They claimed 31,642 W tokens.

Introduction to the Wormhole Incident and Its Unexpected Turn

In an event that took the crypto community by surprise, a hacker who targeted the Cross-Chain bridge Wormhole in 2022 found themselves on the receiving end of an airdrop from the very project they attacked. This development was highlighted by DEGEN NEWS on X (formerly Twitter), shedding light on an intriguing twist in the aftermath of one of the most notable security breaches in recent Blockchain history.

The Airdrop: A Closer Look at the Figures

According to the researcher, four addresses associated with the hacker were sent a total of 31,642 W tokens, valued at over $37,000 at the time of writing. The value of this unexpected windfall could have been even higher, reaching beyond $41,000, had the hacker decided to claim the airdrop on the listing day when the Token‘s price hovered near $1.3.

Background of the Wormhole Bridge Attack

It’s worth recalling that in early February 2024, the Wormhole bridge suffered from a significant hack. The attacker managed to siphon off 120 wETH, which were valued at approximately $321 million at that time, marking it as one of the most substantial losses in a hacking incident to date.

The Response: Token Distribution to the Community

In March 2024, the team behind the cross-Chain Protocol announced the distribution of 617 million W tokens to users who actively contributed to the ecosystem’s development. Approximately a month later, it was revealed that token claim would commence on April 3rd, with an estimated 400,000 addresses eligible to partake in the airdrop.

Current Trading Status of W Tokens

As of the moment the article was written, W tokens are trading near $1.16, indicating a relatively stable market position post-airdrop announcement.

Concluding Thoughts

This incident underscores the unpredictable nature of the crypto world, where even those who once posed a threat to a project can find themselves benefiting from its growth and redistribution strategies. It also highlights the resilience of blockchain communities and their willingness to move forward, even in the face of significant setbacks.