January 2026 Immunefi Ecosystem Update
The Mission: Save Crypto from Hacks
The Immunefi Foundation is scaling security to save crypto from hacks and create a safe and resilient onchain economy. The IMU token coordinates protocols, researchers, and the community to continuously compound security for a safer onchain future.
Launch of the IMU Token
IMU is now live as of January 22, 2026, marking the start of an onchain incentive layer designed to coordinate three groups that ultimately determine ecosystem security:
- Protocols: commit resources to security
- Security Researchers: surface and validate vulnerabilities
- Community: support and amplify high-signal security work
IMU is the mechanism that links participation to shared incentives and feeds higher-quality signals into Immunefi's security platform over time.
Since launch, IMU has rapidly expanded distribution and participation via the world's leading exchanges:
January Highlights:
- IMU launched on Jan 22, 2026, adding an onchain incentive layer designed to align protocols, researchers, and the community around measurable security outcomes.
- Exchange access expanded rapidly post-launch with public listings across major venues (Coinbase, Bybit, Bitget and more)
- Hacker Pledging secured 4M IMU in pledges, boosting vulnerability reports and threat data for Immunefi AI protection.
January Wins
- Protocols protected: 264
- Threats prevented: 720
- TVL protected: $190B
- IMU price: $0.004845
- # of IMU holders: 1.83k
- IMU pledged for Hacker Pledging Program: 4M
Content/Press
Immunefi continued to make headlines this month, with coverage spanning major crypto and fintech publications. Here's a roundup of the latest coverage:
- 2026 FinTech Predictions: Insights from Mitchell Amador of Immunefi
- A16z Crypto wants DeFi to ditch ‘code is law’ for ‘spec is law’ to combat $649m exploit problem
- Crypto’s worst year for hacks wasn’t a smart contract issue. It was a people problem.
- 80% of hacked crypto projects never ‘fully recover,’ expert warns
- Truebit Hack Wipes Out TRU in First Major Exploit of 2026
- Big Crypto Launches in January 2026: Phoenix Report Shows a Strong Lineup of High-Funded Tokens
Security Industry Insights
The one insight you need from January 2026: AI is now finding real bugs in crypto, not just hallucinating them. Security researchers and firms are actively building AI-powered tools and using them to land major bounties on the Immunefi leaderboard, which is the gold standard for proving your tool actually works. The team behind Blockian has now made well over $250,000, using their AI tool, and Octane Security has publicly revealed that their AI tool made $100,000 from a single bug. As AI tools get sharper, both the volume and sophistication of vulnerability discovery will accelerate, meaning protocols that aren't investing in robust bug bounty programs risk falling behind the attackers who are already using these same tools.
Join the Mission
Key links: