The MANTRA token slumped roughly 18% to an all-time low on Thursday after the project's blockchain stopped producing new blocks in the wake of a security breach, with the team confirming that an attacker had exploited a vulnerability in the chain's underlying software.
## Token Hits Record Low The OM token dropped to as low as $0.004126 in the minutes leading up to the network halt, marking a fresh record bottom for the asset. The steep decline reflected mounting anxiety among holders as reports of the disruption spread across the market.
The plunge deepens a difficult stretch for the project, whose token has struggled to regain investor confidence. The latest sell-off underscores how quickly sentiment can sour when a network's core infrastructure comes under threat.
When a blockchain stops producing blocks, panic tends to move faster than any official statement.
## Exploit Halts the Chain MANTRA later acknowledged that an attacker had targeted a weakness in the software that powers its blockchain. The exploit coincided with the network ceasing to produce blocks, effectively freezing on-chain activity while the team assessed the damage.
Halting block production is often used as a defensive measure to contain an ongoing attack and prevent further losses, though it also leaves users unable to transact until operations resume.
Key developments from the incident include:
- The OM token fell about 18% to a record low near $0.004126.
- The blockchain stopped producing blocks around the time of the breach.
- MANTRA attributed the disruption to an exploited software vulnerability.
The episode adds to a growing list of security incidents that have rattled the crypto sector, where protocol-level flaws can translate into immediate financial and reputational fallout. Investors will be watching closely for details on the scope of the exploit and the project's plan to restore normal network operations.