Crypto Community Slams LayerZero: More Verifiers Won’t Stop The Next $290M Hack

LayerZero’s post-mortem on the $290 million KelpDAO rsETH exploit has sparked industry backlash, with the protocol blaming KelpDAO’s 1-of-1 verifier setup while the community argues LayerZero’s design and DVN implementation share systemic weaknesses. Analysts warn multi-DVN recommendations may not prevent similar attacks if verifiers rely on the same RPC providers, meaning more verifiers could still be poisoned simultaneously. The hack — the largest DeFi exploit of 2026 — has market implications: contagion fears for cross‑chain bridges, heightened scrutiny of interoperability protocols, and short‑term selling pressure on affected DeFi tokens (related coverage cites Aave outflows and a sharp price drop).