DeFi United, a coalition of ecosystem participants led by Aave service providers, has released a technical implementation plan to restore the backing of rsETH. The move follows a major exploit on April 18, 2026, in which hackers stole approximately $292 million (116,500 rsETH) from KelpDAO’s LayerZero bridge.
The phishing attack is believed to have been carried out by the Lazarus Group, a North Korean state-backed hacking collective. While the technical plan does not specify a timeline for full recovery, it outlines steps to re-collateralize rsETH and restore confidence in the token's peg.
KelpDAO, a liquid restaking protocol, had its bridge compromised in what security analysts describe as a sophisticated social engineering campaign. The stolen rsETH represented a significant portion of the protocol's total value locked, raising concerns about the security of cross-chain bridges in the restaking ecosystem.
DeFi United's proposal signals a coordinated industry response to contain fallout and prevent a broader liquidity crisis. The plan's success hinges on broad community adoption and the ability to secure fresh capital to backstop the token.
Critics question whether a technical fix alone can restore trust, given the magnitude of the theft and the Lazarus Group's history of laundering stolen crypto through mixers and decentralized exchanges. Without clear accountability or insurance mechanisms, some investors may remain wary of Liquid Restaking Tokens.