Core DAO is preparing an emergency hard fork after a small group of validators reportedly received substantially more CORE rewards than the protocol was designed to issue. The network says the incident has been contained, user assets remain safe, and the planned upgrade will not reverse confirmed transactions.
- Core DAO is coordinating an emergency hard fork following excessive validator rewards.
- The project says the issue has been contained and malicious validators can no longer claim excess rewards.
- The upgrade will not roll back the blockchain or reverse confirmed transactions.
- Several exchanges temporarily restricted CORE deposits, withdrawals, or transfers.
- Core has not disclosed the amount of excess CORE issued or whether the tokens entered circulation.
- A detailed technical postmortem is expected.
Core DAO Moves Toward Emergency Network Upgrade
Core DAO is preparing an emergency hard fork after identifying abnormal reward activity involving a small number of network validators.
According to Core’s updates, certain validators accumulated rewards substantially above the amount the protocol was intended to distribute.
The project has described the incident as being limited to reward issuance, rather than a compromise of user-held assets.
Core later said the situation had been contained and that validators involved in the activity could no longer continue receiving excessive rewards.
The project is now coordinating a network upgrade designed to address the underlying issue.
Hard Fork Will Not Reverse Confirmed Transactions
Core emphasized that the planned hard fork will function as a forward upgrade.
That means the network will move ahead from its existing state rather than attempting to rewrite blockchain history.
Previously confirmed transactions will remain confirmed, and Core does not intend to roll back the chain as part of the response.
This distinction is important because the incident involves the protocol’s reward mechanism rather than a reported loss of users’ deposited assets.
Core has also stated that user funds remain safe.
Exchanges Temporarily Restrict CORE Transfers
The incident prompted several cryptocurrency exchanges to introduce temporary restrictions involving CORE.
Coinbase paused CORE sends and receives on the Core network.
South Korean exchanges Bithumb and Coinone also suspended CORE deposits and withdrawals, citing security-related concerns.
Bitget temporarily halted CORE deposits and withdrawals, describing the move as wallet maintenance, while LBank suspended deposits in connection with requirements associated with the project.
Such restrictions can provide exchanges with additional time to assess network conditions and protect customers while a blockchain security incident is being investigated.
Key Details of the Exploit Remain Unknown
Core has not yet provided several important details surrounding the incident.
The project has not disclosed:
- How much additional CORE was issued
- How long the abnormal reward activity continued
- Whether excess tokens entered broader circulation
- The precise vulnerability that allowed validators to obtain the additional rewards
Without those details, the ultimate economic impact of the incident cannot yet be determined.
Core has said it intends to publish a technical postmortem, which should provide additional information about the cause, affected mechanisms, and response.
Network Stability Becomes the Immediate Priority
The decision to pursue a forward-only hard fork suggests Core is prioritizing the integrity of the network’s future reward mechanism while avoiding disruption to confirmed blockchain history.
For users, the temporary exchange restrictions may create short-term inconvenience, particularly for CORE deposits and withdrawals.
For the wider ecosystem, the more important questions will be whether any excess tokens reached the market and whether the vulnerability can be fully eliminated.
Core DAO says the immediate incident is contained, but the final assessment will depend on the technical postmortem and disclosure of how much CORE was improperly issued. Until those details emerge, the full financial and market impact remains uncertain.
