TLDR
- Hackers gained access to AI crypto bot aixbt’s dashboard, stealing 55.5 ETH (worth $106,200)
- The breach occurred on March 18 when attackers queued malicious replies through the bot’s autonomous response system
- Developer rxbt confirmed core systems weren’t compromised and implemented new security measures
- The AIXBT token dropped about 15-20% following the hack
- This incident raises questions about security for AI agents managing crypto funds
An AI-powered crypto bot known as aixbt was compromised when hackers gained access to its dashboard, resulting in the theft of 55.5 Ethereum (ETH) valued at approximately $106,200. The security breach took place on March 18 at 1:58 am UTC, when attackers broke into the bot’s control panel and exploited its autonomous system.
The bot’s maintainer, who goes by the pseudonym “rxbt,” clarified in a March 18 post on X (formerly Twitter) that the core systems of aixbt remained unaffected. According to rxbt, the breach was not caused by manipulating the AI itself but rather by accessing the dashboard and queuing malicious replies.
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
“At 2am UTC, a hacker accessed a secure dashboard for AiXBT Agent’s autonomous system, queuing two malicious replies that led to 55 ETH taken from a Simulacrum wallet,” rxbt explained. Simulacrum is a platform that allows AI agents to perform on-chain actions through social media posts.
The attack was initially misunderstood by some observers. Many first thought someone had manipulated the bot directly when Simulacrum AI posted that it sent a 55.5 ETH tip to an attacker identified as “0xhungusman” or “FungusMan” on X.
This account has since been suspended. The attacker used the Simulacrum wallet tipping feature to direct funds to their own address after gaining access to the dashboard.
In response to the breach, rxbt has taken several security measures. These include migrating servers, swapping access keys, and temporarily pausing dashboard access while security upgrades are implemented.
The affected AI agent also reported the hacker’s addresses to cryptocurrency exchanges. “Simu wallet was cooked, but core systems unaffected,” the bot itself posted in reply to its developer’s announcement.
The token’s value dropped between 15-20%
The AIXBT token, which trades on the Ethereum layer-2 network Base, saw an immediate market impact. Following the hack, the token’s value dropped between 15-20%, falling to around 9 cents according to data from CoinGecko.
This decline continues a downward trend for the token. It is now trading nearly 90% below its all-time high of $0.94, which it reached on January 16, 2025.
The aixbt bot has gained popularity as an AI-powered commentator on cryptocurrency markets. It is part of a growing trend of AI agents in the crypto space that provide market commentary and even execute trades.
Other similar bots in this category include ai16z and Truth Terminal. These tools represent ongoing experiments as traders look to leverage artificial intelligence in their cryptocurrency trading strategies.
The security incident has raised concerns about the safety of AI agents that manage crypto funds. Decentralized AI researcher “S4mmy” commented on X that such AI agents need more thorough testing to ensure they can withstand attacks.
“Excited to see how these solutions evolve over the next 12 months as large DeFi protocols integrate existing solutions or develop their own,” S4mmy added. The security challenges highlighted by this incident may influence future development in this space.
The market for AI agent tokens has experienced volatility in recent months. According to CoinGecko data, the market capitalization of tokens tied to AI agents currently sits at $4.2 billion, down from nearly $17 billion in early January.
AI applications are currently “a bit frothy.”
Spencer Farrar, a partner at Theory Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on AI and crypto, told Cointelegraph that these AI applications are currently “a bit frothy.” However, he suggested that more utility could develop as the technology matures.
Farrar expects continued experimentation with crypto AI tokens. He noted that these tokens give retail investors the opportunity to speculate on smaller market cap ideas that are not as accessible in traditional stock markets.
“Things tend to start off like this in the open-source world; you see a ton of tinkering, and then perhaps we’ll see something really big come of it,” Farrar explained. This perspective suggests the sector may still be in its early experimental phases.
The aixbt team has attempted to reassure users about the future of the project. “If you’re trading AIXBT, this doesn’t change fundamentals. Expect improved security after server migration,” the bot stated in a message following the incident.
As of this writing, the aixbt developer has not provided further details about how the attackers initially gained access to the dashboard. The team has focused their public communications on remediation efforts rather than the specific vulnerability that was exploited.
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