Arbitrum Approves $71M ETH Release After Kelp DAO Exploit

TLDR

• Arbitrum DAO approves $71M ETH release after the Kelp DAO exploit vote closes

• Kelp DAO recovery plan gains support as Arbitrum backs frozen ETH release vote

  

• U.S. court order may delay Arbitrum’s $71M ETH transfer to DeFi United fund

• DeFi United recovery fund grows after Arbitrum DAO approves frozen ETH release

• Kelp DAO exploit fallout tests DeFi governance, courts, and recovery plans now

Arbitrum DAO approved the release of 30,765.6 ETH after the Kelp DAO exploit created fresh pressure across DeFi. The frozen ether is worth about $71 million and will support the DeFi United recovery plan. The vote adds momentum to industry-led restitution after the $292 million attack.

The governance vote gained strong support from Arbitrum delegates. About 182.2 million votes backed the release, representing 90.96% of voting power. Meanwhile, around 9% of voters abstained from the decision.

The approval makes Arbitrum the largest contributor to DeFi United. The initiative formed after the Kelp DAO attack affected users and several major protocols. Besides, the vote shows how DAO governance can respond during major protocol crises.

Kelp DAO Exploit Triggered Wider DeFi Losses

The Kelp DAO exploit occurred on April 18 through a LayerZero-powered bridge setup. The attacker exploited a single-verifier Omnichain Fungible Token bridge configuration. As a result, the attacker drained 116,500 rsETH from Kelp DAO.

The attacker later moved part of the stolen rsETH into Aave. They used the tokens as collateral and borrowed large amounts of WETH. Consequently, Aave faced about $190 million in bad debt from the exploit.

The Arbitrum Security Council froze ether linked to the attacker on April 20. The funds had moved to an Arbitrum One address after the Kelp DAO attack. After that, the assets moved to an address controlled by the protocol.

Legal Fight Slows The Transfer

The approved transfer now faces a court order in the United States. Plaintiffs linked to terrorism judgments against North Korea seek claims over the frozen ETH. They argue the funds represent North Korean property due to Lazarus Group allegations.

Aave LLC challenged the restraining order through an emergency motion. The company argued that speculation about Lazarus does not prove ownership. It said stolen assets should remain tied to affected users.

The court process may delay the movement of funds. Arbitrum’s constitutional governance process also prevents immediate execution for at least eight days. The court still has time to block the Kelp DAO recovery transfer.

DeFi United Coordinates Restitution

DeFi United now sits at the center of the Kelp DAO recovery effort. The group includes Aave, Kelp DAO, LayerZero, EtherFi, and Compound. Its goal is to coordinate funds and reduce losses for affected users.

Other contributors have already committed major support. Consensys and Joseph Lubin contributed 30,000 ETH, while Mantle provided a 30,000 ETH loan. Additionally, LayerZero added 5,000 ETH to the recovery pool.

The case has become a major test for DeFi governance. It also raises questions about bridge security, court authority, and stolen asset recovery. For now, Arbitrum has approved the release, but the legal dispute controls the next move.

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