Aave and Kelp DAO Explore Bailout Options Following $293M Bridge Exploit

Investigations into the Kelp DAO bridge exploit, dated April 18, 2026, have confirmed a forged signature linked to North Korean hackers as the root cause. The resulting rsETH crisis has created a projected shortfall of $123 million to $230 million for Aave, triggering a $15.1 billion liquidity exodus tracked through April 22. Capital flight has significantly benefited SparkLend, which recorded inflows exceeding $1.4 billion, driving its Total Value Locked (TVL) from $1.89 billion to $3.3 billion. While forensic data shows 75,701 ETH moving to Lazarus Group wallets, whale accumulation of the AAVE token remains strong between $85 and $95. This massive migration highlights a major shift in DeFi liquidity following the systemic strain on the Aave protocol.