Yuga Labs foils an exploit on Ethereum: More than 60 NFTs saved including Bored Apes and CryptoPunks

The NFT market, weakened by exploits and the drop in volumes, has just experienced a revealing episode: Yuga Labs, creator of the Bored Apes, improvised as a savior by recovering hundreds of thousands of dollars in compromised NFTs. An operation that raises questions about the future of Ethereum and Web3 trust.

Yuga Labs, the unexpected savior of Ethereum NFTs

6 months after the dizzying fall of NFTs, Yuga Labs, parent company of the Bored Ape Yacht Club, conducted a whitehat hacking operation to counter an exploit on Floor Protocol on June 8, 2026. Result: over 60 NFTs secured, including 29 Bored Apes and 2 CryptoPunks, representing an estimated value of $570,000. This intervention marks a strategic turning point. Indeed, a major Web3 player no longer content with creating iconic collections but acting as a guardian of the ecosystem.

We’ve just finished a whitehat operation on an exploit discovered in Flooring Protocol.

Now safely in the custody of Yuga Labs:

29 bored apes
4 mutant apes
1 bakc
2 cryptopunks
1 azuki
2 elementals
26 captains
1 moonbird
2 doodles@0xQuit, our VP of Blockchain recovered the…

— figge (@mfigge) June 8, 2026

Michael Figge, CEO of Yuga Labs, emphasized the need to protect legitimate holders and prevent the exploit from spreading. In a market where trust is eroding, this proactive action breathes new life into the NFT community. It reminds that security and transparency are now essential levers to hope for a return of investor interest. Yuga Labs positions itself as an ethical leader capable of restoring credibility to a sector in crisis.

Ethereum, fragile but indispensable pillar of the NFT market

Beyond the rescue operation, the case highlights the fragility of Ethereum, the historical foundation of NFTs. Indeed, since 2022, the market has seen a dizzying drop. Bored Apes once valued at over $300,000 now show a floor price around $15,000. Moreover, daily volumes that exceeded $100 million now cap at $32.3 million. Yet Ethereum remains the backbone of the NFT ecosystem thanks to its technological robustness and massive adoption.

Yuga Labs’ intervention shows that the survival of NFTs depends on increased protocol security and better smart contract governance. If Ethereum manages to strengthen its infrastructure and regain investor trust, it could become the engine of a new wave of NFT innovation. But without this evolution, the market risks remaining trapped in prolonged distrust.

Yuga Labs’ operation is a strong signal as security becomes the crux of the battle for NFTs. Ethereum, despite its flaws, remains essential. The question is now open… Will the NFT market be able to reinvent itself around trust and resilience?