Is Across Protocol Safe?
Risk Grade: C+ (36/100)
Across Protocol is rated as elevated risk — multiple novel mechanisms and notable interaction risks.
Elevated risk — never been directly hacked, but relies on a custom oracle system with a proven attack vector demonstrated in the Polymarket incident
A bridge that moves crypto between blockchains by having professional relayers front the money for instant transfers. It holds $41M in liquidity pools and has never been directly exploited in 2+ years of operation. Its C+ grade reflects the use of a custom oracle system (UMA) that has a proven attack vector demonstrated in the $7M Polymarket incident.
TVL
$34M
Mechanisms
7
Interactions
5
Value Grade
C
Key Risks for Across Protocol Users
The system that verifies bridge transfers uses UMA token voting, and a $7M attack on Polymarket proved that a single wealthy actor can buy enough votes to approve fake transactions. This same mechanism secures Across.
Your transfer depends on professional relayers completing it. If they go offline during a market crash, your money could be delayed.
There is only a 1-hour window to catch fraudulent transfers. If nobody is watching during that hour, a fake claim gets approved and paid out from the liquidity pool.
Top Risk Factors
- •UMA optimistic oracle demonstrated vulnerability in the March 2025 Polymarket attack ($7M loss) where a single entity accumulated 25% of voting power to manipulate market resolution. The same vector could theoretically be applied to Across bridge verification.
- •Intent-based architecture depends on active relayer network; relayer concentration creates censorship risk and single points of failure for bridge execution.
- •Custom oracle system (UMA optimistic oracle) with a 1-hour challenge window trades security for speed. If disputers are offline or economically disincentivized, fraudulent fills could be finalized.
Risk Score Breakdown
Across Protocol's highest risk area is Oracle Surface (7/10). Here's how each dimension contributes to the overall 36/100 score:
Read the Full Across Protocol Risk Report
This protocol has 2 collapse scenarios. 1 high-severity interaction risks identified. See the full mechanism classification, interaction matrix, and deep-dive recommendations.
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