The Drainer Attack Has Significantly Decreased But the Danger Still Lurks

2025 brings good news to the crypto community as losses from wallet drainer phishing attacks have significantly decreased. According to the latest report from Scam Sniffer, scams on EVM blockchains caused $83.85 million in damages, down 83% from the staggering $494 million last year. The number of victims also plummeted by 68%, leaving only 106 people. At first glance, this seems like a community victory in the fight against drainers. But the truth is much more complicated.

Drainer Phishing Adapts to a Dynamic Market

Despite impressive overall figures, drainers demonstrate incredible adaptability to crypto price volatility. When the market rises, these attacks surge accordingly. The clearest evidence occurred in Q3 2025 when Ethereum prices soared, and drainer phishing caused $31 million in damages, nearly 29% of the total for the year.

August peaked with $12.17 million lost, then gradually declined to $2.04 million in December as the market cooled. The most significant scam was the September permit phishing attack worth $6.5 million—a technical masterpiece exploiting malicious signatures. This type of drainer operates by abusing Permit and Permit2 approvals, accounting for 38% of all losses over $1 million. It acts as a perfect backdoor, allowing attackers to drain all assets with a single click.

Pectra Upgrade: New Opportunities or New Risks for Drainers?

When Ethereum implemented the Pectra upgrade, new features like EIP-7702 opened fresh avenues for drainer groups. This technology exploits account abstraction in ways that hackers see as a dream. Security experts noted that August saw two major attacks totaling $2.54 million, indicating that drainer adaptability is even faster than technological development.

However, it’s notable that incidents over $1 million decreased from 30 in 2024 to 11. This suggests a new trend: instead of targeting “whales,” drainer groups are now focusing on ordinary users. The average loss per victim dropped to $790, reflecting a strategic shift among these attackers.

The most concerning part is that as old drainer groups disappear, new ones quickly emerge, keeping this threat alive. Scam Sniffer warns that the drainer ecosystem remains a multi-headed monster—you block one group, and ten others arise.

The Persistent Threat of Drainers Never Truly Disappears

Looking broader, total crypto losses from hacking attacks in December fell 60% to $76 million, down from $194.2 million in November, according to PeckShield. There were 26 incidents recorded, but attack speeds have slowed. However, this does not mean drainers will vanish.

In reality: drainer phishing thrives whenever markets rise, adapting flexibly with each technological upgrade. 2025 saw reduced damages, but the beast still lurks, evolving like a criminal laboratory. As user numbers continue to grow, drainers will find new ways to operate. When markets cool, the shadow of drainers dims but never fully disappears.

With ongoing development and new variants, crypto users must stay vigilant. Every moment of inattention could make you the next victim in this endless battle. Verify every transaction, never click suspicious links, and use secure wallets like Gate.io Wallet to maximize your asset protection.