Solana-linked Web3 white hats may be earning millions as DeFi bug bounties eclipse traditional cybersecurity salaries

• Top payouts create outsized incentives for security researchers

• Bridges and high-TVL protocols remain the most lucrative attack surfaces.

• Immunefi reports $120M+ paid and 30 researchers turning into millionaires.

Web3 white hats earn multimillion-dollar bounties for finding DeFi flaws. Read payout data, top targets, and how teams can cut risk — get the full report.

Top Web3 white hats now capture multimillion-dollar bounties by uncovering critical DeFi flaws, a reward scale that eclipses traditional cybersecurity salaries capped near $300,000.

By COINOTAG — Published: 2025-09-13 • Updated: 2025-09-13

What are Web3 white hats and how do they earn multimillion-dollar bounties?

Web3 white hats are ethical hackers who find and responsibly disclose vulnerabilities in decentralized finance protocols. They earn bounties tied to the severity and exploitability of a bug, with some payouts reaching into the millions when protocols secure large sums of capital.

These researchers operate differently from salaried security staff: they select targets, work on a contingent basis, and receive variable payouts that reflect the potential loss a bug could cause.

How large are the payouts compared to traditional cybersecurity salaries?

Bug bounty payouts in DeFi can dwarf corporate roles. Traditional cybersecurity salaries typically range from $150,000–$300,000 at senior levels. In contrast, top Web3 researchers have received between $1 million and $14 million for single findings. Platform data shows over $120 million in cumulative payouts to date.

Immunifi has made 30 millionaires. Source: Immunifi

Why do certain DeFi projects pay so much?

High total value locked (TVL) and cross-chain complexity make bridges and large DeFi protocols extremely sensitive to bugs. Protocols facing tens or hundreds of millions at stake often set bounty caps that reflect the maximum potential loss.

According to Immunefi, platforms under its programs collectively protect more than $180 billion in TVL and offer bounties up to 10% for critical defects — a structure that can produce seven- or eight-figure awards for the most severe issues.

What notable incidents illustrate the scale?

The largest single white hat payout reached $10 million for a Wormhole vulnerability that could have destroyed billions. Separately, Wormhole suffered a $321 million exploit in 2022; subsequent recovery actions by firms such as Jump Crypto and Oasis.app reclaimed roughly $225 million. These events underscore both the risk and the mitigation value white hats provide.

How have attack patterns shifted in 2025?

While early DeFi failures stemmed largely from smart contract bugs, 2025 has seen a rise in “no-code” exploits: social engineering, compromised keys, and operational-security lapses. These require different defensive measures beyond code audits.

Despite shifts, bridges remain prime targets due to crosschain trust assumptions and the sheer sums bridged between networks.

How much was lost to crypto hacks recently?

Crypto-related hacks and scams totaled approximately $163 million in August 2025, a 15% increase from July’s $142 million. The majority of that month’s losses were concentrated in two incidents: a $91 million social engineering scam and a $50 million breach of a Turkish exchange.

How should teams prioritize security to reduce risk?

1. Implement continuous third-party audits and high-value bounty programs.
2. Reduce single points of failure with multisig setups and key-management best practices.
3. Invest in operational-security training to limit social-engineering exposure.
4. Maintain transparent disclosure and rapid-response processes to enable white-hat remediation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many researchers have become millionaires from bug bounties?

Platform reports indicate at least 30 researchers have passed the million-dollar mark through bounty payouts, reflecting aggregated rewards across multiple findings and years.

Are bridges still the riskiest targets?

Yes. Bridges remain high-risk due to cross-chain complexity and large aggregated value, making them frequent targets and among the highest-reward disclosures.

Key Takeaways

• High rewards: Web3 bug bounties can far exceed corporate cybersecurity salaries.
• Top targets: Bridges and high-TVL DeFi protocols attract the biggest bounties and the greatest risk.
• Prevention: Strong bounty programs, multisig key management, and operational-security hygiene reduce exploit exposure.

Conclusion

Web3 white hats have become a cornerstone of DeFi defense, earning outsized bounties that reflect the value at risk. Protocols that invest in robust disclosure channels, competitive bounty programs, and operational-security best practices reduce systemic risk and incentivize ethical remediation. For teams and researchers alike, structured disclosure remains the most effective path to secure capital on-chain.