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The MAPO token collapsed this week after attackers exploited a vulnerability linked to the Butter Network cross-chain bridge. The exploit allowed the malicious actor to mint nearly one quadrillion MAPO tokens and flood liquidity pools with illegitimate assets. As a result, MAPO’s price crashed from nearly $0.003 to around $0.0001 within hours.
Blockchain security firm Blockaid reported that the attacker dumped about one billion MAPO tokens into Uniswap liquidity pools. The attacker drained roughly 52 ETH, worth about $180,000, during the exploit. Meanwhile, investigators believe the attacker still controls close to a trillion MAPO tokens.
Following the attack, Map Protocol paused its mainnet and launched a migration process. At the same time, Butter Network suspended ButterSwap operations while teams continued investigations into the breach.
According to Blockaid, the exploit originated from a vulnerability within the Solidity smart contract layer. The project confirmed that attackers did not compromise private keys or light clients during the incident.
Investigators said the attacker first submitted a legitimate oracle multisig-signed message. Soon after, the attacker deployed a malicious contract to a targeted address before sending a manipulated retry message.
The manipulated retry message reportedly produced the same hash structure as the original transaction. That similarity allowed the bridge to treat the request as valid and authorize the massive MAPO token mint.
The attack immediately destabilized trading activity across decentralized exchanges. Liquidity pools lost funds quickly after the attacker sold large amounts of newly minted tokens into the market.
After detecting the exploit, Map Protocol paused its mainnet operations and began preparations for a migration process. The project later announced plans to release a new contract address alongside an upcoming asset snapshot.
The team also stated that any tokens linked to attacker-controlled wallets would become invalid during future token conversions. Officials said the migration aims to protect legitimate holders from additional exposure tied to the exploit.
Meanwhile, Butter Network paused ButterSwap services to limit further risks across its ecosystem. The project stated that user funds were not directly exposed during the attack.
The exploit arrived during a difficult period for decentralized finance platforms. Reports showed that at least 18 protocols suffered breaches or exploits during the same month.
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Recent victims included THORChain, Transit Finance, Echo Protocol, TrustedVolumes, Verus Protocol, Ekubo, and RetoSwap.
The MAPO exploit added fresh concerns around cross-chain interoperability infrastructure and bridge security systems. Analysts tracking the incident warned that the attacker still controls a large portion of illegitimate tokens.
Market participants now continue monitoring official updates from Map Protocol and Butter Network. The projects have not yet announced when full services will resume.
The incident also added to a growing list of cross-chain bridge exploits reported throughout 2026. Investigators continue analyzing transaction activity connected to the attacker-controlled wallets.
The MAPO token exploit exposed major risks in cross-chain bridge security after attackers minted a massive fake supply and drained liquidity. Map Protocol paused its mainnet and started migration, while Butter Network suspended ButterSwap. The case shows why users should follow official updates and treat bridge-related assets with caution.
