Security Research
A Withdrawal Is a Request: What We Can Learn From Exchange Incidents
Main Takeaway: A balance on an exchange is a record in the exchange's ledger, and taking coins out is a request the exchange has to approve. From Mt. Gox in 2014 to Binance in October 2026, exchange incidents have followed a few repeating patterns, and in most of them users waited on the platform's decision to get their coins back. Self-custody moves the keys, and the work of protecting them, to you. What does an exchange balance actually represent? When you buy crypto on an exchange, the coins usually sit in wallets the exchange controls, alongside everyone else's. Your account shows your share as an entry in the exchange's own database. Coins only leave when you ask for a withdrawal and the exchange signs a transaction from one of its wallets. That step depends on the exchange's systems, policies and solvency on the day you ask. Our guide on where your crypto is actually stored covers the mechanics in more...
Can Your Phone Replace a Hardware Wallet?
A phone can store keys, but it also runs many apps and stays online. Here is what a hardware wallet separates from the phone, and what it does not cover,...
Crypto Hacks in September 2026: What Happened and What Self-Custody Covers
PeckShield counted $766.49M lost to 55 major hacks in September 2026. Most came from one exchange wallet system and one sidechain peg. What self-custody changes and what it leaves as...
How ELLIPAL Hardware Is Built Against Supply Chain Attacks
A hardware wallet supply chain attack modifies a device before delivery. ELLIPAL answers it in layers, from a case built to resist opening and...
Bitget Hot Wallet Incident: Why Trading Continues While Withdrawals Are Paused
Bitget reported about $351.6 million in unauthorized hot wallet transfers on September 24, 2026. Withdrawals paused while trading continued. Here is why both can...
FomoPeek iOS Attack: What Crypto Wallet Users Should Do
FomoPeek 1.1 and 1.2 carried malicious modules capable of escaping the iOS sandbox. Learn what was exposed, what to do now and where hardware...
Seed Entropy: How to Check Whether Your Wallet Actually Has It
The Coldcard flaw was a silent build error: a software RNG stood in for the hardware one for five years. What happened, how ELLIPAL...
Crypto Security in 2025 and 2026: 5 Major Events and What They Mean for Self-Custody
From the Trust Wallet $7M browser hack to the Drift $285M multisig takeover, 5 events in 2025-2026 reshape what self-custody looks like in 2026....
Drift Protocol Hacked for $285M: What It Reveals About Exchange Risk
The Drift Protocol exploit proved "decentralized" doesn't mean safe. Here's why self-custody with a QR-only hardware wallet removes that counterparty risk.
North Korean Hackers Just Poisoned a Library Used by 83 Million Apps: Why Your Air-Gapped Wallet Didn't Flinch
North Korean hackers compromised Axios, an npm library downloaded 83 million times per week, injecting malware that targets crypto assets. Meanwhile, two teens drove...
Trust Wallet $7M Hack: What It Means for Wallet Security in 2026
$7 million stolen. 2,520 wallets drained. 48 hours. The Trust Wallet Christmas hack proved browser wallets are fundamentally vulnerable. With crypto theft hitting $3.4...
Supply Chain Attack on NPM: What It Means for Crypto Users
Your crypto could be stolen without you knowing. A malicious NPM package is live. ELLIPAL’s Clear Signing cold wallets are the only defense.